An: thanks to my beta Sammie1746 for this awesome chapter
Wandering around Grimmauld place in a daze and crying constantly was all Hermione did for the next couple of days. She'd been staying in Sirius's room the entire time, reminiscing about their short time together. The nights she had insomnia she was in the library, what used to be one of her favorite places to be.
Unfortunately for Hermione, the day of the funeral quickly arrived and would eventually be full of people she did not want to see. Most would be staying over too and she could not handle that at the moment. Hermione had taken to sleeping with one of Sirius's shirts with her at night and wearing another one, trying to make it feel like he was still with her in some way. Her thoughts strayed away from Sirius, she needed to get up and dressed before Harry and the Weasley's arrived. Hermione thought that if she tried to look her best maybe, just maybe everyone would leave her alone.
She finally pulled herself out of bed, shaking off her melancholy as best she could and went into the bathroom to shower. She'd been neglectful for the last few days, not caring if she stunk or her hair and clothes were in disarray. Hermione couldn't let Molly see her like that, it would cause her mind to spiral even more and it was messed up enough. Since there was not going to be a body to bury, she could not understand why they were going to have a funeral gathering at Grimmauld when he hated living there. Hermione wished Sirius had never fallen through the Veil, leaving her behind. She would much rather he be here with her,but reality was that she never gets what she wants.
Hermione was soaking in the tub, trying to get her mind to some sort of organized chaos when she heard the fireplace activate. Someone deemed it necessary to come early for some reason and she was not about to be caught dead in Sirius's bathroom. She had to hurry up and make sure that no one found a trace of her in Sirius's bedroom knowing the row it would becomes if she was caught. Rising from the tub she dried herself off and hurried to got dressed.
"Hermione dear? Where are you?" Of course, it had to be that bint who couldn't keep her legs closed.
Hermione decided not to holler back since Molly would know where in the house she was. She waved her wand, straightening out the room to match how she found it the first night she slept in it. Sneaking out of the bedroom toward the room she was supposed to be staying in, she was glad she had moved her stuff in it already. Moving further down the hall quietly, she made it seem as if she was coming from her bedroom and then hollered at Molly.
"I'm here Mrs. Weasley! I was just getting dressed, be down in a minute!" She finished drying her hair as fast as she could without it going frizzy and then ran down the stairs.
"You know I wish you would have told me you'd be earlier Molly. I was still in the bath when you arrived." Hermione couldn't stand Molly, especially in this moment. She knew Mrs. Weasley meant well, but she was beyond annoying and did not have any idea about what personal space meant.
"I'm sorry dear, I just thought I would come and get a head start on the set up and such. I wanted to check on you and see how you were doing." Mrs. Weasley wasn't even ashamed of herself for inviting herself over too early, acting like she cared about Hermione.
"I'm fine, I've just got to finish up a letter to my parents and then I will be down to help." Hermione was not about to let her know anything about her sleeping arrangements for the past few days.
Hermione turned and left the room, leaving Mrs. Weasley to stick her nose in places it didn't belong. She'd take care of her later, the fact that she was even there rubbed Hermione the wrong way somehow. She ran up to the library and sat down to write her letter.
Mom,
I am so sorry I couldn't see you and dad the other day, but there are some things weighing on my mind that I need your advice on. Harry's godfather recently passed and he believes it's my fault when it's not. Ron, of course, has taken Harry's side like always and I am the one left out in cold. To top things off, Ron's mother, who can be well meaning at times is one of the most overbearing and annoying person I have ever met! She seems to not know a thing about birth control either. I cannot deal with her and her uppity snobbishness when she barely takes care of her own household! I'm sure she'll try to cheer everyone up, but it's Sirius's funeral today and she invited herself over while I was still in the bath. In hindsight, I should have locked the fireplace down(not that I know how as of yet), but on the other hand she could have floo called before stepping out of the fireplace. Now I am rambling, sorry about that. Is there anyway that I can see you after the reading of Sirius's will? I assume Harry will get everything, but knowing Sirius for the small amount of time I did, I believe he might give other things to the people he cared about. At least, that is what I hope.
With love,
Hermione
Hermione finished up her letter, letting the ink dry for a moment then folded it and gave it to Sirius's owl. "Hades, would you please take this to my parents. Make sure no one but them see it."
Hades flew out the open library window and towards Hermione's parents house. Hopefully he could get to their house before they left for work this morning and Hermione could get an answer to her letter soon. For now though, she had to go and deal with Molly's overbearing attitude.
I will never understand how that bint has invited herself over here, even if I am the only occupant and not the "owner" of the house. It's too early to deal with her shit! I just want to hide away again, but she is so damn nosy that I can't, Molly would find me in a heartbeat. I'd best see if I can go help the bitch to try and be polite, knowing her she will hopefully tell me she can handle it.
Hermione trekked back downstairs to the kitchen reluctantly. "Mrs. Weasley, is there anything I can do to help you? "
"Oh no dear, things are just about done here. The boys should be arriving any minute now, the others not too far behind them as well." Mrs. Weasley was finishing up the meal for the gathering in the kitchen. "I'm just going to leave this under a stasis charm. By the way, I haven't heard a word from Walburga's portrait. Has she been silent the whole time you've been here dear?"
"No, she must be asleep or something. I'm sure she will start hollering later with a full house. She yelled at me the first night I was here, but after I yelled back and shut her curtains she has been fairly quiet." Hermione turned to leave the kitchen and as she did the floo activated again with people continuously pouring out. "Molly, there's not an Order meeting tonight as well is there?"
"Well yes dear there is, but it's just a short one. They wont be a bother to anyone here." Molly couldn't see Hermione's face as she answered her.
"I know Sirius wanted to beat Voldemort, but really Molly a meeting after his funeral? What kind of sense does that make? Sirius would not want this." Hermione wasn't quite furious yet, but she just wanted to be left alone and an Order meeting at a funeral was utterly distasteful.
Harry slid up next to Hermione and whispered in her ear nastily, "I thought we told you that you weren't welcome here. How would you know what Sirius wanted? He never talked about Order business to anyone but Dumbledore. You'd best watch your back mudblood."
"Harry it's good to see you and Ron. I was just telling Molly it's a shame there's an Order meeting today. It's actually kind of disrespectful to Sirius to have a meeting right after his funeral." Hermione heard what Harry had whispered, but she was not going to let that affect her.
"I know, we really thought the same thing, but Dumbledore insisted. We should go catch up though, I know we have said some things that were not so nice, but we were grieving. We didn't mean any of it Hermione, I hope you can forgive us." Ron gave Hermione a hug and made a loose apology, however she did not believe a word he said. How could anyone who called themselves a friend treat her that way? She would keep an eye on them and distance herself for now.
"I know Ron and I'm not going to say its ok because it did hurt me badly, but I do understand." Hermione gave both boys a hug, however it felt different than it was before, colder rather than warming. "Now I suppose we should just sit down and wait for this to be over with."
"STAIN ON MY HOUSE! FILTHY MUDBLOOD AND BLOOD TRAITORS IN MY HOUSE! I'M GLAD THAT BLOOD TRAITER NO SON OF MINE IS DEAD! HE GOT WHAT HE DESERVED! I WANT YOU ALL OUT OF MY HOUSE! NONE OF YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!" Molly had gone upstairs and undone the Mrs. Black's curtain for who knows what reason, startling everyone in the house momentarily.
"SHUT UP YOU OLD HAG! SIRIUS WAS A GOOD MAN! HE WOULD WANT US IN HIS HOUSE AND YOU WILL GO IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!" Hermione sprinted towards the stairs and ran up till she was standing in front of Mrs. Black, her eyes blazing. She closed the curtains and locked them up with a stronger locking spell.
Stomping back down the stairs, she turned on Molly making her stumble back a step upon facing Hermione's fury. "JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING OPENING THAT CURSED CURTAIN?! YOU KNEW IT WAS SHUT FOR A REASON!"
Molly didn't cower or back down when she got her feet back, wagging her finger in front of Hermione's face. "I thought she might want to attend her last son's funeral. You cannot yell at me for that young lady."
"I WILL YELL AT YOU MOLLY! THAT WOMAN IS A FUCKING MONSTER WHO NEVER CARED ABOUT SIRIUS! YOU HEARD THE BITCH, SHE'S GLAD HE'S DEAD! SHE HATES ME, YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE IN THIS HOUSE RIGHT NOW! YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO OPEN HER UP!" Hermione had finally snapped, getting right in front of Mrs. Weasley there was but a papers width in between them. She could not deal with Mrs. Weasley today, especially when she let the bint Walburga yell at everyone. This was not the day to mess with Hermione so much so she became deadly calm. "Have your funeral and then get the fuck out! I don't want to see your face anymore today than I already have. You invited yourself over really early, I wasn't even up yet for crying out loud and then you open those curtains that I had spelled shut for this very reason. You are too nosy for even your own good and NO ONE likes it."
Hermione said her peace then stalked off, not caring in the least if she hurt Molly's feelings. She didn't see Mrs. Weasley crying or Arthur trying to comfort his wife. All she heard as she rounded a corner was someone yelling at her. "Mione' that was bang out of order! You need to apologize!" Hermione didn't turn around deciding not to speak back to the person, but she did throw up her middle finger behind her.
The funeral went on without Hermione there, not that they cared she was missing anyways. She could somewhat hear it, but could not bear to attend. Sirius would understand after everything had happened not only today, but since his death. She would find a quiet place later and try to explain it to him. She didn't come out of her room until well after everyone was either gone or asleep. Tomorrow was the reading of the will and she had to be there.
Unbeknownst to her, Harry and Ron had gone off to complete part one of their mission. They had gone to the apothecary to get a good supply of sleeping potions. Tomorrow night after the reading of the will, they would be putting their plan into action. After Hermione had yelled at Mrs. Weasley earlier they thought she needed to be taken down a peg or two. The boys had gotten back from Knockturn Alley with the things they needed, starting to get everything for Hermione ready.
Hermione was sleeping soundly in her room knowing she couldn't try and sneak into Sirius's room just yet. She didn't want the boys or Mrs. Weasley to catch her, no one understanding the loss she was feeling. The only person who somewhat cared about her was gone. She did not know how she was going to endure the reading of the will in the morning, already dreading the day ahead.
She had tossed and turned all night long, nerves had kept her up as well as the usual nightmares. Hermione would not let others know that she was nervous and keep a dead look, showing nothing. She really should apologize to Molly, but she decided to sit on that for a while and see what happened after the will reading. Getting dressed, she went down for breakfast to make herself something especially since no one said she had to rely on Molly while she was there, she would probably poison her regardless.
Hermione made herself some toast and jam thinking she probably would be able to hold much down as it was. She grabbed a coffee as well and took off back to her room, but making sure the everyone knew she wanted to be notified, "Just call me down when the solicitor is here to read the will."
At that moment the fireplace activated with impeccable timing. "No need, I am here to read the will now. I figured you all had things that needed to be discussed and done so I am here first thing this morning." Mr. Jablonski stepped out of the fireplace and syphoned all the ash off of him with a flick of his wand.
"Oh, you have to show me that neat little trick Mr…" Hermione turned around from where she was about to leave the room. "Sorry I just woke up and had to get breakfast. I hope you don't mind. Can we get you anything?"
"No, no, I'm perfectly fine, Thank you Ms. Granger. I am Mr. Jablonski, the Black family solicitor." Mr. Jablonski set his briefcase down on the table with a small smile toward her. He opened it up, pulling out some paperwork. "Yes, well if everyone is here, we can get started."
The rest of the Weasley's and Harry filed through the doorway. "I hope you were not going to get started without us."
"No Harry, of course not, I was just coming to get you all while Mr. Jablonski was getting things situated." Ugh! I wish Mr. Jablonski had started without them. There is definitely nothing that Sirius would have left the Weasley's. I am sure they are hoping for his money, but even if they did she hoped they would use it to maybe get some proper clothes or a house. Hermione however was disgusted with the way that the Weasley's thought they were going to get something from the will.
"Ok then, let's get started then." Mr. Jablonski started to read out the will slowly and clearly, that way everyone could hear.
"This is the last will and testament of Sirius Orion Black. I, Sirius Black, of sound state and mind write my last will and testament. To my godson Harry, I leave Kreacher. Son, I thought about leaving you my fortune or my house, but Potter Manor was gifted to you from your parents. You, however, do need a house elf to go with you so I leave you Kreacher and his treasure trove. To the Weasley's, I leave nothing. You have everything you need; you have family and that is what truly matters. To Dumbledore, once the house passes on to who it is intended for, you must find elsewhere to hold Order meetings unless the person the house is left to allows it. To Hermione, I leave you all properties and my entire fortune. I know you will use it wisely sweet girl. I am only sorry I could not be there to stop what I know is getting ready to happen. Hermione dear, you must sign the papers first."
Hermione was floored and everyone else was outraged yelling over each other. "How come we get nothing, and she gets everything?!" Molly was furious, she treated Sirius politely and even fed him while skin and bones! There should be no reason her family got nothing from that ungrateful ponce!
"What was Sirius thinking leaving this house to a mudblood." Ron was appalled with this turn of events, his family should have become rich after everything they did for Sirius!
"Why Sirius? Why would you leave me everything and Harry nothing?" After the shock wore off, Hermione could not help but speak her thoughts aloud.
"I'll contest this will bitch! You won't get my house or anything of the sort." Harry was enraged, this mudblood stole his rightful inheritance as the last heir of the House of Black.
While everyone was steadily raising their voices over each other persistently, Hermione slipped by them and signed the magically binding papers. Once her signature was on the paper, everything except Kreacher and his treasures transferred to her name. She suddenly became a very rich woman and now had a very large target on her back. Dumbledore pulled Hermione behind the screaming group, that way he could be heard when he spoke.
"Dear, do you mind if we have Order meetings here? There really is not a place better for them." Dumbledore really wanted the Order meetings to stay in this house. It would be difficult to find another place to hold them that would be just as secure.
"No sir, I don't mind that you have Order meetings here, however I do ask that no one stays over anymore. I would just like to be left alone right now. I will give the members and Weasley's one more night here since tonight's meeting will be running late, but I ask that no one stays over after that. If someone could come and find me for the meeting I would greatly appreciate it." Hermione slipped out of the room without a sound while everyone was fighting amongst themselves.
"You heard the lady, pack your bags everyone! You will be leaving first thing in the morning, she wants to be left alone. There are things she needs to go do." Dumbledore wasn't entirely pleased with the way things turned out, but they would turn the tables on her soon enough. "Boys you must get ready for your mission tonight."
Over hearing his words, Hermione did not know what the boys were meant to be doing tonight, figuring if they were going on a mission then she was too. Not to toot her own horn, but she was the smart one of the three of them while they were just the muscle. She was the planner who could keep them from getting caught as well as creating more than one alternative plan on the spot.
Harry and Ron went towards their stash of sleeping potions they hid in their shared room. 'We will just have to kill Hermione too. We have to plan it out carefully though, Dumbledore needs this house for the Order which means everything must be planned to a T." Harry grabbed the sleeping potion and gestured back toward the door. "Come on, lets go grab the mudblooded bitch a tea and slip this potion into it. She will go right to sleep then we can grab her fucking wand and hide it in that one book. You know, the one she wont be able to touch because she's not a pureblood, um, what was the name again? It was something about blood and sex magic I remember. Finally after that, we will be able to visit her parents and take care of them."
Ron nodded enthusiastically and off they went to the kitchen. Pouring the potion in a cup first they then poured tea on top of it, adding in honey and lemon and stirred. It was exactly how Hermione preferred it and perfectly masked the taste of the potion. "Ok, let's get this to her and then we can go."
Stomping up to Hermione's room, they knocked on the door. "Hermione, please open up. We're sorry about how we reacted to the will reading. We understand why Sirius did what he did and as a peace offering we have brought you your nightly tea. Dumbledore wants Ron and I to go do something for him tonight. He said something about you having to stay in the house overnight so it could get used to the new owner. We'll be back shortly." Harry cracked her door a tad wen she did not answer right away.
Hermione grabbed the tea and drank it down without thinking, she was more physically and emotionally exhausted than usual. "Thank you boys, let me know when you get back please? We can catch up then. I really appreciate you bringing me the tea. Go on and do what Dumbledore needs you to. I'll…." Hermione passed out on the floor, sliding down the door jam she was leaning against.
Harry thought about leaving her there, but instead he levitated her to the bed and dropped her in the middle of it. Grabbing her wand, he left the room and shut the door. "That shit was way too easy, when will she learn to check her drinks before she drinks them?" He laughed about it with Ron, starting to move towards the stairs. "We have a wand to hide, to the library we go."
Opening the door to the library, they easily found the book they had established to hide Hermione's wand. Being a half-blood Harry was able to pick it up, shoving the wand into the middle of the book. He did not bother to check what page he had shoved the wand on, but that soon would be his fatal mistake. He might learn to pay attention to what he was doing one day.
After they left the library, Ron and Harry apparated to Hermione's street. They walked down a few houses to make sure that her parents were home, looking around at all the windows. Once they figured out that her parents were indeed home they started setting wards up to seal the house with the muggles inside it, making sure no one could get in nor out. Throwing fiendfyre at Hermione's childhood home, they stood and watched it burn. The screams were horrific, but Hermione deserved this, she had stolen everything Harry should have gotten from Sirius right from under him. This was how she paid the price of her betrayal and he could not wait to see her anguish when she found out.
Once her childhood home was just a pile of Ash, Harry and Ron pulled the wards down and left it for the muggle authorities to find. Hermione would wake up tomorrow morning not knowing yet she was an orphan. Harry apparated away followed shortly by Ron. They met up with Dumbledore upon entering Grimmauld to tell him of their success.
"It's done sir. There were no witnesses and nothing left to identify. Hermione is now an orphan. She will be more pliable than ever sir." Ron was giddy at the fact they just got away with murder.
"Yes, yes now remember, she wants us gone when she wakes up in the morning. Be ready to go early, I don't want to see her wrath first thing in the morning. She will call us when she learns of her parents' deaths. We must pretend to know nothing, giving her the strength and support she needs. She cannot know you two are the ones that killed her parents." Dumbledore left patting Harry and Ron on the back imagining the way he would manipulate the little swot.
The boys went off to bed none the wiser that Winky and Dobby had been watching the entire exchange. Winky and Dobby had always liked the Missy Granger. She treated them fairly and knitted them clothes. She told them to work at Hogwarts, but maybe now that she had her own house they could work for her here. They would ask her in the morning once she woke up from being potioned to sleep.
The house elves did their nightly chores then went off to bed as well. They had to wake everyone in the morning and make them leave so Missy Granger could break in peace when she learned of her poor parents' deaths.