Hey everybody, I missed you. So thankful for the reviews. I love seeing them notifications pop up. Please enjoy the next installment and sliding into the story with ease and grace is Narcissa Malfoy. One of my favourite and underrated characters. Complex and Unique, my Narcissa Malfoy is the incomparable Helen McCrory not only a phenomenal actress but also a kind woman. May she rest in peace.
So without further ado, Chapter Seven. As always Rated M, please leave a review with your thoughts.
Chapter Seven
Hermione
The day of Sirius Blacks trial had arrived, I had also recieved word that Narcissa Malfoy wasgoing to meet with me afterward. She is currentlysitting on the Wizangamot for Draco until he comes of age, not to mention Lucius being locked up after the Fight at the end of the year. I at least had the gumption prior to my attack to tie Lucius up in his Death Eater garb for the Aurors to find. I only hope Narcissa makes the right decision this time aswell.
I put on my best robes over the top of a fitted muggle blouse and black fitted pants with heels. It was in moments like these when I was all dressed up I noticed my aging. I truly didn't look sixteen and as I tied my now straight hair, thank you Lavender Brown up onto the back of my head.
Today was the true tell tale, sign about whether or not I can truly change anything, Sirius Black being held in Grimmauld Place was a large contributor to his wrecklessness. Hopefully if he goes free the side of the light will have the Entire Black Family fortune and Political backing and that was golden.
The Order were sending someone to escort me to the Ministry, it surprised me when Remus Lupin showed up on my doorstep. I had noticed this time around that he and Tonks were not as close as before.
I know time and fate were fickle minded and often a small change can make a huge difference. I think maybe in the last timeline the Death of Sirius drew them closer, now they didn't have that would they still have a need to grow closer.
I might have to face the facts that Teddy might not exist in this timeline, I only hope Remus could find happiness and peace, he has always, struggled with his affliction.
"Hermione." I smiled and gave him a small hug before inviting him into the living room for me to grab my coat and apparate from inside the house.
"It's good to see you Professor Lupin." He smiled at me and held softly onto my arm in a way that was entirely too comforting, seeing him lying in the Great Hall that day beside Tonks filled me with such sadness. Now having him alive and in front of me reiterated how much of a kind soul he was and how much his death had affected me.
"I haven't been your Professor for a while Hermione so please call me Remus." I nodded and after finding my trusty beaded bag I threw it over my shoulder and made my way to him for us to leave.
"Don't take this the wrong way Hermione but you seem different, are you alright?" Knowing he was talking about my appearance I just nodded my head at him and tried to appear dumb.
"I'm fine Remus, a little bit nervous for Sirius and Harry but if it all works out then he will be able to leave those horrid Dursleys. Both of them can be a family like they were always meant to." He nodded his head and took my arm and we apparated away, as we landed in the atrium of the Ministry all I could see was flashbulbs going off in my face.
" Miss Granger, Mr Lupin do you think Sirius Black is innocent? Will you support him? Albus Dumbledore is claiming he is innocent!" The fact that they knew my name made me a bit suspicious but Remus just held onto me as we made our way down toward the lifts and pased some uniformed Aurors whom were doing crowd patrol.
It was to be a closed courtroom with just Wizangamot and essential personnel. Sirius was entitled to have people there for him, and as far as I knew the entire Order would be there to show support.
Coming off the lift I seen Harry standing with Mr Weasley, the twins,Charlieand Bill. All of them waved at me before giving me and Remus a small hug to greet us.
"No Ron?" Mr Weasley shook his head and claimed Ron and Ginny had broken the gsrden shed with a game of Quidditch and were not allowed to come as a result. Harry looked so nervous and as I gripped onto his hand in support a loud flash echoed all over the corridor and nearly blinded me. In the process.
Rita fucking Skeeter, I forgot about her, I am gonna have to do something about that beetle. I levelled my glare at her beforeslapping my wand into my hand and squaring up my shoulders.
"There must be air getting into your head, this is a closed session and all media has to wait in the atrium." She smirked at me before holding her hands up and went to walk around the corner. God knows what this woman is going to do, better to nip it in the bud now. Letting her get around the corner I fished out a jar from my bag and made some air holes before following her.
She didn't even know what hit her as she was already on her way back in her beetle form, I had her captured in two seconds and placed into my bag before anyone could say boo. She was thrashing against the edges as I did so in frustration.
Quickly we were called into the room and I took a seat beside Harry in Moral support. Madam Bones sat as the interim Minister of Magic pending election of course and Albus Dumbledore sat as Supreme Mugwump beside Madame Bones.
I could see severalWizangamot seats occupied including Narcissa Malfoy for the House of Malfoy. Draco sat behind her and smirked slightly as he seen me, it didn't instill me with much confidence but I know he wouldn't let me down. One by one each seat got filled and before we knew it Albus Dumbledore was calling the session to order.
"Ladies and Gentlemen if you could please be seated, we can get started." I could practically feel Harry's magic flitting beneath the surface, it was so distracting but as he held onto my hand I could tell it was helping him.
"Now we all know, why we have gathered here today. Fifteen years ago Sirius Black was sent to Azkaban without a trial, he was accused of murdering Muggles and the wizard named Peter Pettigrew. Breaching the statute of secrecy and leading the so called Dark Lord to Lily and James Potter resulting in their deaths. New evidence has since come to light." I liked Amelia, she, was strong, fearless and damn terrifying.
"It has come to our attention that Peter Pettigrew is in fact alive and has been living with awizarding family. Arthur Weasley please stand." I listened to Arthur explain how he was an Unregistered Animagus and his form was a rat. He showed up injured all those years ago and his children had taken him to Hogwarts not really knowing who he truly was.
" Thank you Mr Weasley. " He, nodded and sat down getting clapped on the back from all of his boys before Amelia called for Sirius to be brought into the room. He looked good if I did say myself. He was, dressed in the finest robes that one could buy and looked every bit the Aristocratic Pompous Prat of a Pureblood whilst doing it except for the Converse All stars.
"Mr Black..." He cut Dumbledore off midspeech with a cocky smile and a nod as he sat down.
"It's Lord Black actually now, I recieved my inheritance a few years ago. Gringotts goblins don't care about Wizarding Law and because I was never actually a convicted in a court of magical law they allowed me to take up my Lordship. Sorry Cissy." Looking at Narcissa Malfoy she was the kind of woman who would cause you to take a hit to your confidence just by being in close proximity she was that beautiful.
Right this very second though she was pissed off at her cousin. Not because of his taking up his titles but by him addressing her in such an informal manner. She, scowled at him as my attention was drawn back to Sirius.
"So Mr Pettigrew was an Animagus, is it true you are also an Animagus?" He nodded his head and swung his leg over his knee in a stance that was entirely too Lucius Malfoy for my liking. I could see Harry smirking and it was also evident how excited he was to finally tell his story.
" Yes, Peter Pettigrew, James Potter and myself all became Animagi in school, fourth year." A lot of the Wizangamot members were shocked at that before Albus Dumbledore continued on.
"Why did you do that?" I could see Renus square his shoulders and get ready for it, they must have gotten this game plan of defense because Sirius looked at Remus and nodded his head.
"It was to help a friend of ours, he was attacked by a werewolf as a child and we changed to keep him company on a full moon. Peter was a rat, I was dog and James Potter was a stag." The questioning went on and on and on for a while, Harry was, asked some questions and it came time for them all to vote.
" Ladies and Gentlemen of the Wizangamot, it is in my opinion that a grievous error in judgement was made fifteen years ago, the only crime Lord Black seems to be guilty of is failing to register as an Animagus which does not require a lengthy Azkaban term. So withoutfurther ado, those in favour of a non guilty verdict please write on the parchment and sent it to me please." I could see Draco having a small disagreement with his mother who looked confused at her son for a moment before relenting and nodded her head.
One by one over fifty pieces of paper flew overhead to react Albus who passed them to Amelia Bones. Five minites later Albus Dumbledore stood up and released the metal shackles from Sirius wrists and declared hin a free man. He ran to Harry and threw his arms around his godson and then Remus before thanking everyone for coming and rounding on me.
"Call me a lecherous old man but Hermione Granger can I just say you are going to break hearts when you are older." He smirked at me and I just rolled my eyes at his flirting ways.
"Do not forget to register your Animagus form on the way out Lord Black." He smirked at me and nodded as we made our way from the courtroom. I was, escorted back to my home by Remus again and left to my own devices.
Narcissa Malfoy was my next port of call and I had given Draco an address of a small muggle restaurant to meet in. They had small private rooms for meeting etcetera and I could only hope she would not hex me on sight. Ten seconds after Remus left I apparated to wait for them both, arriving at the restaurant in plenty of time I ordered a sparkling water and waited.
She was prompt and on time, no doubt a part of her upbringing she was forced to. A knock echoed and Draco walked in first with a huge smirk on his face and as his mother rounded the corner she seemed startled to see me. Her wand snapped into her hand and Draco stood between the two of us.
"What is the meaning of this Draco? You said it would be someone to help us." I smirked at her and offered her a seat. Up close she was even more beautiful and if I was into women I would totally be struggling to speak right about now.
"Granger can help, I have been keeping a, secret from you mother, one that is truly going to be hard for you to believe but know I would never lie to you, I would never betray you and the only reason I have teamed up with this insolent little witch is to protect you. I need you to be open minded, can you do that?" She nodded her head at her son and held onto his hand and I could feel the conforting lick of her own magic against mine.
She must have felt it too because her eyes snapped up to my own and tucked her wand back up her sleeve again before I could even speak. Her eyes really are so blue.
"No harm will come to you here Lady Malfoy. I promise. Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, I appreciate it." She slowly sat down and every move was methodical, before she set those blue irises against my own.
She ordered a cup of Earl Grey as did Draco and I asked for a Cappuccino. It was quiet for around about a minute before I decided to bite the bullet and just be honest with the woman. She was a no nonsense kind of person so I felt like I needed to be the same.
"You dont remember but I have actually spent some time with you before, in the year Nineteen Ninety Eight." Her eyebrows quirked at me before turning to her son whom didn't react which I think made her think twice about bursting into laughter.
"Do you think I am a fool? What have you done to my son? You would not be known as the brightest witch of your age without some form of skill." So she thinks I have hexed her son for some nefarious scheme or another.
"I am afraid I have not done anything to him, its because he saved my life that he came back also. In my timeline, the old timeline Sirius was killed in theDepartment of Mysteries, this Summer Draco was forced to take the Dark Mark, he was challenged with killing the headmaster and you make an Unbreakabke Vow with Severus Snape to help your son." She had a horrified expression on her face for a fraction of a, second before that mask was erected.
"After Professor Snape kills Dumbledore he becomes Headmaster, your house becomes a hive for Death Eaters and the Wizarding World goes, to war." She sneered at me in a, way that was all too reminiscent of her son.
"What does this story have to do with me?" I nodded at Draco whom took his mothers hand in his own and gave her but one look.
"Look into my head mother, see for yourself. It all accumulated into a battle at hogwarts, we picked our side and surprisingly Potter won. We played it tight to our vests the whole way but you know exactly why I chose the side of the light. Look for yourself." She dove into his head and appeared to be gone for a good wee while before coming back and looking incredibly at me.
" So why out of everyone did you contact me? What do you need me to do? " See this is why I prefered intelligent people, I didn't have to spell anything out for her.
"Can I have a vow that you will not breathe a word to anyone? These secrets cannot get out, we cannot tell anyone about the future." She, crossed her hands over her body and cocked her head to the side.
"You mean Albus Dumbledore and his precious Order have no idea? You came to the wife of a Death Eater? Why?" Our drinks appeared back and as the waiter left I cast a muffilato against the door.
"Can you feel this?" I cast my magic outward to touch her own and I could see goosebumps raise on her skin as I did, I could also feel her magic winding against my own and it filled me with excitement at how, strong her magical core was pulsing.
"In the last timeline, Albus Dumbledore died playing games all year with Harry. He was giving dribs and drabs of informatuon and before we could be given everything he died. Harry, Ron and I spent close to a year trailing all over the country trying to find Horcruxes." Her head snapped up at me in fear and understanding.
" Horcruxes? Plural? How many did he make?" She was pissed, extraordinarily pissed if her facial expression was anything to go by, Draco seemed to see it also and was shocked at his mothers tone of voice.
"Seven in total, the Diary that yourhusband slipped into Ginny Weasleys cauldron was one, I have found another. A Diadem belonging to Rowena Ravenclaw, there is a locket in Grimmauld Place which I can access now that Sirius is free. Your sister has one in her Vault at Gringotts, its a cup belonging to Helga Hufflepuff? " Her face drained of colour.
" My sister does have a cup, but it's not in her vault, its sitting on her bedside table in Malfoy Manor." Nofucking way is it that easy.
" Ok, then this makes things, so much easier. Draco gets branded relatively quickly and from what I gather your treatment in your home becomes much more difficult also. I want you both to go home, pack anything you want to keep, books, clothes, jewellery but gemino it so it looks like all of your things are still there. Blow a handful of this into your sisters face, it will knock her on her arse quicker than you can say boo." I handed her a small bag filled with a form of dust.
" What in the hell is that Granger? " Draco seemed amused at his mothers horrified face and I handed them a piece of paper with my home address on it and ignored him.
"This is my address, apparate straight there after you get the cup and we will make it look like a kidnapping. You both are officially in the Witness Protection Program. I might need to glamour your features if the Order come but that should be ok." Both of them looked at me as if I had six heads and I just wanted to bash them together.
" Ok listen so far the only people who know about this is in this room, if I can take you both away from that house then I have help from a responsible and magically competent adult, no offense Draco. The last time it was three teenagers trying to defeat a monster and his army and now we are already one up magically. " Draco looked offended, Narcissa looked amused and I just nodded my head.
" I will wait at the house for you both, if you aren't there by nine then I will start to worry." They nodded and as we all went our separate ways I couldn't help but feel good about the future.
At half five that evening Narcissa and Draco Malfoy showed up at my doorstep with a Horcrux in their hands and grins on their faces, albeit Narcissa was sporting a split lip, all in all a very productive day.
That's us folks, I hope you have enjoyed it. Please Review and let me know what you think. See you soon.