"Ah Miss Granger, how are you this evening?"
"Well enough," Hermione offered warily with a faintly grimace-like smile, still not sure what to make of this version of the Headmaster, past memories fighting with the man she was getting to know now.
He smiled as if she wasn't looking unsure, turning away from her when the room was bathed in green light from the fireplace. "Ah and Mr Snape."
If anything Severus looked even more wary than Hermione as he promptly left the floo and stepped over next to her. "Any issues?" she murmured as Dumbledore greeted Fleamont seconds before Saul barreled out of the floo, almost falling in his haste to exit.
"I thought I was running late and you'd start without me!" he explained at their questioning looks, still looking flustered.
Severus shook his head with a sigh, "None," he murmured, answering Hermione's question "But he wants a potion."
"Oh?"
"Something about reliving worst memories and making the drinker weak? He left the parameters reasonably open but he'd heard something from an old contact in Germany. The exact formula has been lost, but he wants me to recreate something similar."
"Draught of despair." she mumbled.
"What?" he checked sharply.
She gave a mirthless laugh, "You succeed or I assume you did given that i definitely know of its existence. It's called the draught of despair and is…not well known but not unheard of."
"I succeed?" he checked looking devastated.
"Soon, I imagine. Before the end of the year."
"Fuck." he hissed.
She gave a wan smile, blowing out a breath. "Yeah, not ideal but…fuck likely necessary."
"Why?"
"What's this?" Saul checked, eyeing them speculatively.
"Regulus died having drunk that. It…causes an intense thirst but you cannot conjure the water. The horcurx is surrounded by a lake…"
"Then surely…" Fleamont began.
"A lake filled with inferi." Hermione spoke over him. "He drowned. But we need it because it's why Kreacher is called in the first place and without him I'm not sure where the cave actually is. Tom picked Kreacher to check that his protections worked, assuming he would die and not be able to tell anyone. His loyalty to Regulus is what saved him." she paused, "And ultimately murdered Regulus."
"I killed Regulus?" Severus checked his face grey. "That potion we're looking for a neutralising potion for is one I created?"
"No. Tom Riddle killed Regulus." she retorted firmly.
"I…I…fuck I need a minute." he rasped as the pieces he had quite clearly been ignoring fell into place.
He barrelled out of the office before any of them could react. Hermione sighed, running a tired hand down her face as she walked out after him slowly, finding him on the stairs, curled in on himself, clearly working his way up to what was likely to be a spectacular panic attack.
"Breathe, before you can't," she commanded softly, sitting down next to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, grimacing when he all but slumped into her, his breathing still coming in harsh pants, tears leaking out as he began to sob. "Oh Severus," she sighed. "You didn't kill him. Not this time, not then."
"Of course I did!" he gasped, "I create the potion!"
"You didn't," Hermione retorted sharply, "Tom killed him. Not you."
"He was one of my only friends," he whispered.
Hermione sighed, "Not any more. Are you still in touch?"
"Not as much," he admitted, his breathing finally beginning to calm, despite the way he was still leaning into Hermione heavily. "Real life and school…and, well…." he paused, continuing with some bitterness, "I'm a poor halfblood, what benefit could association with me possibly have for the Heir of house Black?"
"He said that?" she demanded indignantly. It drew a faint reluctantly fond smile to Severus' face.
"His mother…strongly suggested that our association end with our school years.
"Oh for merlin's sake don't listen to Wally! The womans insane."
She felt Severus freeze. "Wally?" he repeated incredulously.
Hermione waved him off, "I spent months listening to the mad witch scream insults at me from her portrait. The weasley twins used to taunt her when their mother wasn't listening. She hated being called Wally so we all made sure to do just that as often as possible."
Finally moving to sit on his own, Severus let out an incredulous huff of laughter, "I'm beginning to think she wasn't the only insane witch, he muttered.
Rolling her eyes, Hermione ignored him, "Feeling better?
He sighed, a slightly haunted look on his face, "I don't want to create this potion."
"I know. But we need you to. We need him to call for Kreacher, I have no idea what the protections before were, but given what we're dealing with we need every advantage we can get and knowing what we're facing is an advantage."
He opened his mouth as if he was going to object before shutting it and nodding. "Very well."
"Good, now, ready to go back in?"
"If we must," he agreed, sounding exhausted.
"Good," she stood holding out a hand to him, forcing him to remain in place when he stood. "You are not responsible for Regulus' death. You are…well you're not nice but you are a good man."
"Hardly good," he muttered.
"You are a good man," she reiterated. "I doubt you've always been and Merlin knows the version of you I knew was an utter bastard. Even then, he still did what was necessary to keep us as safe as he could." she pinned him with a look that almost made him want to shrink back from the witch, "I have no idea how things were in your House, but in mine, we protected our own."
"I am no Gryffindor." he scoffed.
"No. House affiliation had nothing…well not nothing but it wasn't the deciding factor in our protection. I had a friend who was badly bullied in her own house, Harry especially, protected her where he could. We …I wasn't always the most tolerant but after the Ministry."
"After the Ministry what?" he demanded.
"Oh, did I not say? We broke in. Dolohov almost succeeded in murdering me." She lifted the hem of her top, showing the bottom of the scar that bisected her torso. "Anyway. Luna was with us, and afterwards she stayed with me. The nightmares were…intense. I was better after that. I…stopped being so much of a bitch just because I didn't see the world as she did. And truthfully, I'd never have survived the aftermath of Bellatrix without her."
"The aftermath of Bellatrix what?" he demanded.
"Oh, Hermione paused, moving her hair out of the way showing the scar on her neck. "She ah…wanted information. Information I didn't want to give her so she…deployed what I assume are her usual methods of interrogation."
She realised dimly that Severus looked horrified. "You survived an interrogation by Bellatrix bloody Lestrange?"
"I did," she agreed. "And as I'm sure you know, the after effects of prolonged cruciatus are not entirely pleasant. Luna stayed with me throughout them. Throughout the nightmares. I…I have never been more grateful to another person."
"My gods." he muttered, his face pale. "How..when?"
"Well…the war had been over about two months when I got here so…three ish months before I arrived?"
Severus blinked back at her, "you are…unlike anyone I have ever known." he settled on.
Hermione laughed, "For which I am sure you are grateful," she teased but he stopped her with a shake of his head.
"I find myself lamenting that I spent so many years without a..friend like you."
"You could make friend sound like less of an awful word," she chided despite the soft look on her face as she squeezed his hand. "Now we have a giant murderous snake to kill alongside part of a madman's soul. Shall we get on with it?"
"If we must." he agreed, his hand remaining clasped tightly in hers.
"Ah good, we were just going over plans," Albus smiled at them as they walked back into the office. We agreed we'd deal with the basilisk first and then find the diadem, did we not?" Hermione hummed, nodding her agreement. "Splendid. I took the liberty of having our Groundskeeper acquire us some roosters. I believe they are in the care of our house elves. I assume we are ready for me to summon them?"
"Let's get this over with." Hermione agreed.
Fleamont smiled slightly, "Don't sound too executed."
Hermione scoffed, "I've met this particular monster before," she retorted dryly. "I had hoped never to meet it again."
"Well, let's hope this is the last time," Fleamont replied bracingly.
"Indeed," Severus drawled.
"Come along then," Dumbledore grinned, holding up a box Hermione supposed contained the roosters, looking far too excited for what they were going to have to do, leading them up to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Thankfully Myrtle was not in residence. "I think she's gone to visit the Fat Friar," Dumbledore mused. "Odd friendship though it is."
"How do we get in?" Saul hedged eyeing the sink with barely concealed distrust, clearly ignoring all thoughts of ghostly friendships.
With a sigh, Hermione hissed something in an approximation of Harry, startling them all when the grinding sound of moving porcelain began almost immediately.
"You're a parselmouth?" Fleamont breathed.
"I am not," Hermione retorted, "Harry just talks in his sleep."
He blinked at her, "He…what?"
"Harry was a parselmouth. I was just able to recreate an approximation of it."
"Impressive," Dumbledore replied lightly.
With an eye roll, Hermione peered down at the dark tunnel. "You have the roosters?" she checked clearly stalling.
Slightly mockingly Albus held up the box again. She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders, "Well then. Shall we?"
Severus let out a yelp when she jumped. "I begin to see how she managed to get into so much trouble during her teenage years," Fleamont mused with more than a little amusement before following her down.
"After you then Mr Snape," Albus twinkled.
"You are going to be the death of me." Severus muttered, running his eyes searchingly over Hermione the moment he'd reached the end of the tunnel as if checking she was in one piece. It was absurd and strangely sweet given that he'd also just jumped down the chute and knew there was nothing to worry about. "How in the name of all that is magic did you survive up 'til now?"
"Luck?" she shrugged, only the tensing of her expression giving away that it perhaps had not been that simple. He hummed, wrapping an unsure arm around her as Albus brushed himself off, looking at Hermione expectantly.
"Where to now dear?"
She tugged Severus forward, refusing to show how much being back unnerved her. The Basilisk eyes had been one the first of her recurrent nightmares, it had played on a loop with violent chess pieces until the end of fourth year where dragons and Cedric's lifeless body had joined them. It had taken facing the real bogeymen in fifth year for them to be replaced completely, and now, she almost wished for that nightmare back, it would have been better than what she saw when she closed her eyes now. But current nightmare or not, she hated this place, tied into that final battle with the feelings of fear and desperation and the destruction of the cup.
"Breathe," Severus whispered, able to feel the tension she was trying to hide.
"Once this is over," she muttered through clenched teeth, coming to the second door, hissing something she thought sounded right, steeling herself for what lay behind it.
"You are going to faint!" Severus hissed frantically, drawing both Fleamont and Saul's attention but Hermione didn't hear him, the walkway where she'd destroyed the cup now laid out in front of her. "Fuck! For Merlin's sake you bloody infuriating witch, breathe!"
Dimly she was aware of his panic but she could do nothing to pull herself out of the memories that were overwhelming, which was why, when she felt the sting of the stinging hex, she came back to herself with her wand shoved under Saul's chin, the curse half-formed on her tongue.
"Fuck. I'm sorry," she gasped, taking a quick step backwards.
He sent her a wry look, "I forget you are a war veteran," he admitted, "which means I occasionally do stupid things like throw a stinging jinx at you while you're mid flashback. It was my own fault."
Hermione blew out a sharp breath, refusing to meet Fleamonts concerned eyes. "Right well…I ah…"
"How often were you here?" he checked idly as Severus snagged her hand again, lending her strength she was grateful for.
"Just the once," she muttered. "Which was more than enough."
He hummed, clearly reading her expression and changing the subject, "Any ideas where the beastie is?"
"Harry said it came out his mouth," she replied, nodding at the giant head of Salazar.
"Out his mouth," he repeated faintly. "Well…."
"I wonder if the eyes are hollow," Albus murmured, startling them all as he gazed curiously up towards the top of the statue.
"Only one way to find out," Fleamont replied bracingly, pulling a broomstick from an obviously extended pocket.
"Is that allowed currently?" Hermione checked curiously, trying to ignore how rapidly her heart was still beating.
"What?" he frowned. "Oh the pocket, ah well…technically I'm allowed a slight expansion on a select number of things. For ingredient collecting you know."
"No then," she murmured, unable to hide her amusement before turning to Saul, "and if I was to ah…require something for work…."
He gave a soft huff of laughter as she trailed off, "I could potentially authorise something," he agreed.
"Oh good. I really miss my bag"
"What bag?" Severus checked curiously.
"I had an extended bag, about this big," she held her hands apart in an approximation of her beaded bag's size, "I used it to carry everything for our camping trip."
"Authorised?" Saul checked lightly.
"Well…Kings technically authorised it. Retrospectively."
"And Kings is…what in your world?" he checked.
"Oh, interim Minister of Magic."
At that, Saul laughed, "Of course. Merlin's ballsack. We'll be cultivating him then. He was good?"
"Well I really only had two months to judge him on and those months were…well…." she grappled for something else to say not wanting to contemplate the chaos, the grief, the neverending funerals and trials. "I'd trust him with just about anything."
"You miss him," Fleamont noted shrewdly.
She shrugged, "He was like…a really well-trained, deadly uncle. And if needed I knew he'd make a body disappear if I asked."
"Salazar's tits," Severus muttered, "As if you need more people to make you terrifying."
"To be fair, in my time, people would say you were my most terrifying acquisition." she turned and batted her eyelashes at him making him snort.
"Which isn't going to stop you cultivating Shacklebolt." he pointed out.
"Of course it's not," she agreed, "We've just established I miss him."
Severs groaned quietly as the rest smothered smiles, "I'll be going up then?" Fleamont offered lightly, "Unless…."
Hermione shuddered as he waved the broom at her. "Ah no thank you."
"Sure?" he taunted, leaving Severus stifling a smile at the look of horror on her face.
"Absolutely certain." she retorted with such ferocity that he chuckled quietly as he kicked off heading for the eyes.
"There's a small hole for the pupil," he announced.
"I'll send a cockerel up to you then and release the rest to be sure." Albus announced, levitating a disgruntled cockerel into Fleamont's waiting grasp.
"Lumos solem," Hermione murmured once it was in his grasp, sending the cockerels into a frenzy.
"Think it's dead?" Saul queried.
"Is there a way to check?" Severus asked curiously
Albs hummed, twirling his wand in a complicated pattern, a series of runes appearing next to Salazar's face, "It's dead," he confirmed.
"You're going to teach me that," Saul muttered, eyeing the runes curiously, Albus merely smiling serenely.
"How are we getting it out?" Hermione asked suddenly, as Fleamont appeared beside her, dropping the cockerel with a look of profound relief.
"Ah," Albus hummed, casting in another overly complicated motion. They all watched slightly stunned as a tiny basilisk was levitated out of Slytherin's eye and deposited at their feet.
"It's almost cute like this." Hermione mused as Saul muttered, "You'll be teaching me that too."
"Cute?" Severus demanded incredulously, "it's a bloody basilisk."
"It's pocket sized!" she protested as she eyed it. "I sort of want one."
"No!" Saul called with a grin, "You're deadly enough thank you."
"Oh but…just a mini one?"
"Absolutely not," he retorted.
"Spoilsport," she pouted.
"I could probably get you a Jarvey?" Fleamont offered, "they are carnivorous."
She perked up, "Could you really?"
"Don't see why not," he shrugged, "Their claws and fur when offered freely are useful in potions, most potions masters have one. I don't because Effie forbade me but I have contacts."
"You own a bloody werewolf!" Severus protested, "Is that not enough?"
There were faint looks of amusement from everyone else at that declaration. With a grin, Hermione shook her head, "I'm relatively certain Remus would have issues biting people who displease me."
Severus shuddered, a look of genuine horror on his face, "I would bloody hope so!"
"I could probably convince a Jarvey though!" she continued, turning to Fleamont, "Can you see if you can make it albino? I want to call it Draco."
"Draco?" Severus hedged, looking as lost as the rest of them.
"Oh, Draco Malfoy was turned into a ferret….its…well it's not important why but…nostalgia, you know?"
There was a ringing silence before they all began to laugh, "Merlin little witch, I'll see what I can do," Fleamont grinned.
Remus was waiting on them in Dumbledore's office, his eyes scanning Hermione almost frantically when she appeared.
"No issues?" he checked.
Shaking her head, she accepted the hug, feeling his relief. "How do you feel about a pet Jarvey?" she checked, startling him enough that he pulled back.
"Pardon?"
"A pet Jarvey. Mr Potter said he could get me one."
Remus' eyes darted to Fleamont. "I…Why?"
"Because she's insane." Severus muttered, rolling his eyes when Hermione stuck her tongue out at him.
"That doesn't actually answer my question," Remus pointed out.
"Aren't you meant to argue that I'm perfectly sane?" Hermione demanded.
There was a beat before Severus, Saul and Fleamont all laughed, even Albus looked amused despite him hiding it better than the rest.
"Well…I…can someone just explain why you're getting a Jarvey?"
With a scowl, Hermione crossed her arms over her chest. "I am perfectly sane!"
"You're loopier than a spiral dive," Severus drawled. "Apparently we like you anyway."
"Seriously? Jarvey!"
"Oh. I want to train it to bite people who displease me." Hermione countered sweetly, her eyes on Severus who merely shook his head at her, still looking unreasonably entertained.
"Of course you do," Remus sighed. "Why am I not surprised?"
"They wouldn't let me have a miniature basilisk. Apparently a Jarvey was all that was on offer."
He blinked at her stupidly. "Where in the name of all that is magic do you get a miniature basilisk?"
"Well there's a dead one in the box on the headmaster's desk. It's quite cute, although if I was keeping one as a pet I'd want it to be alive."
"And you want us to tell you're sane." he breathed before flushing, realising that he'd said it out loud.
Clearly fighting a smile, Albus cleared his throat, "Shall we acquire the diadem before Miss Longbottom decides that Mr Lupin and Mr Snape are ah…surplus to requirements?"
The diadem sat on the headmaster's desk looking innocuous but making their skin crawl. It had taken almost half an hour to coax both Severus and Fleamont from the room and after that Saul had demanded to see it in other configurations, extracting a promise from Albus that he could come back and experiment on the room during the summer with a team of Unspeakables. Remus had immediately begged to be included.
"Well that feels fucking awful." Fleamont muttered, eyeing the diadem with distaste.
"Indeed it does," Albus agreed, for once missing his infuriating twinkle. "Shall we imbue some daggers before one of us gives into the urge to throw the diadem in the black lake?"
Saul looked momentarily flustered when everyone turned to him before he flushed, "Oh! I have those!"
With an indulgent eye roll, Hermione held out her hand. "I'll do it."
"Why you?" Saul checked before Remus could open his mouth.
"WHy not me? I at least know what to expect. Do you?"
He paused, eyeing her, "Fair point but, you're not doing them all."
She stared back seeing the uncommonly serious expression on Saul's face before nodding sharply, "Fine."
She took the proffered dagger, opening the box containing the miniaturised basilisk, setting it against the tiny fang, careful not to touch it.
"You might want to stand back," she murmured. Immediately the Horcrux began rattling as if sensing her intent. From it a ghostly Harry and Ron rose, sneering at her, telling her she had been a means to an end during their school years, berating her for not moving quickly enough, telling her she'd fail, that she'd never been good enough. Her parents were next, hurling abuses at her, reminding her they hated her magic, telling her they hated her, had regretted ever having her, that they'd never forgive her for the decisions she'd made.
"Stab it!" Severus hissed, his voice cutting over her sobs as she watched, utterly paralysed as each new figure appeared. Fred came next, blaming her for not being quick enough with her wand to stop the wall. It wasn't until she saw the sneer on his face that she came back to herself just as Lavender appeared. With movements that felt like she was fighting against a current, she slammed the point of the dagger into the diadem; the figures faltered and she pulled it free to stab it again, hearing the heart-stopping scream with no small measure of relief.
Remus had her tugged into him the moment she dropped the dagger onto the desk, his arms encircling her so tightly she felt something pop.
"You are never even going to think about destroying another of those," he growled; for once she was too drained to argue with him,
"I think we all rather agree with that Mr Lupin," Albus murmured faintly, looking shaken. It was a look mirrored around the room as the reality of the task given originally to three teenagers finally seemed to resonate.
"Who were they?" Hermione turned, keeping her head anchored on Remus' chest, needing the comfort after having seen Harry and Ron for the first time in months. The ache of missing them was had long bypassed painful.
"Harry and Ron," she murmured. Fleamont hummed in acknowledgement, "Then my parents, then Fred and Lavender."
"Fred was another Weasley?"
"One of the twins."
"Ah, one of those delightful little hooligans the Prewett twins say are already shaping up to be just like them."
"They'll be worse…or better depending on how you look at it," Hermione muttered.
"I look forward to hearing their antics then. And who was Lavender?"
"Lavender Brown, my dorm mate. She…Greyback."
Remus' arms tightened further, and the matching looks of horror on everyone else's face let her know she didn't need to finish that thought.
"It won't happen again," Remus murmured.
"It might."
"It will not!" Severus retorted sharply before Remus could speak.
"He's right," Saul spoke with an air of finality, his eyes on Albus. "You were children. It should never have been your task and as long as the Order draws breath we will ensure that no other child will be expected to do what you were."
"Indeed," Albus agreed softly.
"How are you my girl? That lad of yours said yesterday was difficult."
Hermione eyed her father, still feeling rattled. Remus had been overly careful with her, and while she knew that it should bother her, she couldn't find it in herself to protest after the jarring experience of seeing Harry and Ron and having them hurl abuse at her. She knew it wasn't them, she knew the words were designed to shine a light on her insecurities, but it was hard. There was no real Harry or Ron to counteract the words. All she had were memories and as much as she loved them, those memories were tainted by war and loss, the new ones, the good ones of life after war that she had clung to desperate imaginings of during their darkest moments were never going to come for her. Not with them.
As a result, she had spent the evening glued to Remus' side, a wary-looking Severus watching her as they debated potions theory and he demanded a comprehensive overview of new inventions from the future so he could keep his eye out for them. Alice and Frank had joined them, exhausted from work but amused enough by Severus and Remus attempting civility that they stayed to witness it first-hand. It had been soothing in a way she hadn't expected. Friendships had always been hard, but here, they were easier. A strange thought given that she was living with ghosts.
"I'm…coping," she settled on.
He hummed, "He also said you saw those two original boys of yours. That they were cruel." he paused clearly trying to choose his words carefully, "Was that something they'd said before?"
Hermione blew out a breath. "No, not exactly," she replied hesitantly. "We had…issues, sometimes. And often, it was me who was left out, held to a higher standard. Ron could lose his temper and Harry would welcome him back with open arms, even without an apology. I did something or Ron thought I was responsible for something and he could be….cruel. But I was expected to accept a resuming of the status quo without them acknowledging their behaviour. I…I wasn't blameless, Merlin knows I can be…pushy and inflexible, but I didn't deserve their treatment a lot of the time. Harry and I were better once we were on the run, but we quite literally only had each other and after the war, for the time I was there, both of them were more grown up." she shrugged, "I imagine as a result of the war. I like to think that if I'd stayed there I would have demanded better, but I also think they would have been better."
"They don't sound the best, love," he murmured gently.
She gave a bark of mirthless laughter. "I was a socially awkward, academically inclined, rather intolerant child who relied heavily on books until it became clear I really couldn't afford to. I shoved my superior knowledge down everyone's throats because I had no idea how to fit in, academics and my intelligence were all I'd really had for so long that I used them as a shield. Ron was an overlooked sixth son, born just before the much wanted daughter to a family who struggled financially and who was easily missed in the face of his brothers such defining personalities and achievements. Nothing was his, he did nothing first and he had a massive chip on his shoulder and a temper. Harry was an abused orphan who had a horrendous upbringing and who came into our world and was adored and mythified and expected to save us all. He lost every adult who was important to him and was let down again and again. Add in hormones, a magical boarding school, blood prejudice and the fucking war….and, well no. They weren't always the best. I wasn't always the best. And I'm not excusing some of their behaviours, it certainly wasn't ok, but…." she blew out a breath. "We had no real guidance, Ron had Molly and Arthur but in trying to keep us out, Molly put us at risk when she tried to baby us all. And Arthur never contradicted her. She was also, um, less than tolerant of ideas that didn't marry up with her thinking. She loved them all, but she also missed a huge amount by focusing on the wrong things. Harry had his muggle aunt and uncle who hated him. And I had parents I couldn't explain anything to. No one was coming to pull us up on our behavior. Hogwarts is so…unsupervised. I should have had some sort of preparation, I should have been around other children like me long before 11 so I wasn't so bloody lonely and utterly unused to interacting with my peers. Ron shouldn't have been allowed to take his anger out on me or Harry for months on end. Harry shouldn't have been allowed to ignore me over safety concerns, because we should have been able to go to a damn teacher! And neither Ron nor I have had to deal with his temper because there was no aftercare. See your classmate murdered? Off you pop home to your abusive relatives while we actively ensure you're told nothing. Be lured into a trap that ends in your godfather's death and one of your best friends almost cut in two? We'll just pop you home to those abusive relatives. Feel a bit cross when you find out everyones been keeping secrets? Off you pop on a mission that might see you and your friends die resulting in mass murders and enslavement of muggles. It's all on you three, it'll be fine won't it? It's not like you're only just of age or anything, although while we're at it, be a good sport and don't tell any actual adults what you're up to. It'll all be fine in the end! And that's before we consider the fact that none of us should have been expected to fight in a damn war to begin with!"
"And breathe," he murmured, looking pained. "I stand by what I said. They don't sound the best, but…i accept that i have no real idea of the pressures you all faced and merlin knows you're right you should never have been expected to fight in a war and Hogwarts needs to have a better system in place. I have no idea what you do about that though, Minerva would be your woman but Merlin knows I don't know how that conversation would go."
Hermione sighed, "I don't imagine well," she admitted. "I have a lot of respect for Minerva but she…she let us down too. Possibly because she's holding down three jobs quite frankly."
"Three?" he frowned.
"She's deputy headmistress but she's also head of House and transfiguration professor. Add in Dumbledore's jaunts to his other two jobs and in my time, Order meetings and Hallows hunting, Merlin knows the woman was overworked."
"I never quite considered that," he admitted.
"It's one of the reasons so much gets missed, i think," Hermione mused.
"Then perhaps Dumbledore needs to find more teachers."
"Because those are just queuing up to sequester themself in Hogwarts," she scoffed.
He gave a rueful smile, "Perhaps not. Perhaps have a chat with that other boy of yours. He might have some ideas."
"Severus?"
"Yes, I understand his time at school wasn't overly pleasant. Not as unpleasant as yours grant you, but perhaps an experience that more people can relate to. Yours was hardly the norm."
"No." Hermione replied slowly.
"He might have some ideas then," Algie repeated, watching her contemplative expression with a hint of a smile. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that she'd fix it, likely dragging that boy of hers along with her. He was almost looking forward to how much it'd likely annoy Albus. "Now. How do you feel about dinner with just your old dad tonight? I feel like i've barely seen you."
Giving him a fond smile as she dragged her attention back from the ever-growing to-do list that lived inside her head, Hermione agreed. She hadn't expected to like this man, let alone love him. But he had been a solid pillar of support since she had arrived. Quiet, unassuming, but there and always willing to listen if she needed it. She appreciated his quiet, constant presence more than she could explain. "Where were you thinking?"
"Just you leave it up to me, my girl. It's casual so no need to dress up, just bring a cloak."
Nodding her agreement, Hermione stood to do just that, hoping that Remus survived dinner with the rest of her family reasonably intact.
Two days later, curled into a ball on the library sofa, Hermione threw her book down in a huff. "You're fidgeting! It's bloody distracting! So stop it or spit out whatever it is that's causing it!"
Remus stilled comically, a flush rising up his cheeks. "I ah…my mums going to murder me."
"Why?" Hermione checked slowly, turning to give him her full attention.
"I…I might not have told her about you but it's been almost three months and I'm living here and…and maybe…probably…ah definitely, you should meet her."
"You want me to meet your mum?"
"Ah. Yes."
"Why?"
"Why?" he looked bewildered, "Because she's my mum!"
Hermione paused as she contemplated that, realising that she was missing something vital. "A mum you don't talk about and actively change the subject from? That mum?"
"I don't actively…I mean…fuck." he blew out a breath. "I hate my dad."
"I know," she agreed.
"Right. I ah…i don't hate my mum." he yelped when a stinging jinx connected with his arm. "What was that for?"
Hermione's tone was dangerous as she growled, "Are you telling me Remus Lupin that you actually have a relationship with your mother? And that we're almost three months into this and you haven't once thought to mention that! I thought you hated her too! Every time i bring up your parents you change the goddamned subject!"
"Oh," he looked completely flummoxed. "My mums a muggle."
"Yes, and?"
"She ah…she'll be over excited."
"You're her only child. Your point?"
"Fuck," he whined, "I ballsed this up, didn't I?"
"I'm still confused but I'm going to go with yes."
"I was worried about scaring you off," he muttered finally, "Especially if I dont time it right and you're forced to meet my dad."
Hermione blinked at him stupidly, "I'm beginning to think you're an idiot." she muttered finally, wanting to laugh at his offended expression. She continued in slow exaggerated words. "I know your dads an arsehole. You told me years go so it would hardly be a surprise. And unless this level of stupidity continues, you're stuck with me."
"Oh," he breathed. "That's…I'll work on that."
"Do. And for fucks sake, send your mum a letter, phone her. Something."
"Of course, darling," he muttered only slightly sarcastically.
She glowered at him. "I'm going to blame this all on you when she asks, you know."
Despite not wanting to admit it, Remus shuddered slightly. His mother terrified him.
"Remus! Oh! Oh Remus!" Hermione bit back a smile as an impossibly small woman all but barreled into her son two days after he had phoned her. She'd almost murdered him following that call when he admitted that he had neglected to mention her at all and had planned on just showing up and taking her with him.
"Mum!" he whined.
"Don't you Mum me! It's been months!"
"I'm sorry," he muttered, "but…but I've been busy…the job,..."
"Ah yes, this job you've mysteriously gotten but haven't told us a thing about!"
"Mum!" he whined again.
Unable to help herself at the sight of boyfriend, feared predator that he was, cowering under his mother's glare, Hermione laughed. Hope paused, her eyes darting to Hermione before snapping back to her son, the question clear on her face.
"Meet Hermione?" he offered, fidgeting.
"Meet Hermione," Hope muttered under her breath, "Meet Hermione, he says!"
"Mum!" he whined for a third time. "It's ...she's….it's all Sirius' fault!"
"Gee thanks," Hermione muttered, moving to greet Hope, "It's lovely to meet you, I know you haven't the faintest idea who I am but Remus has told me a fair bit about you." Remus heard the "After I bullied him into it less than two days ago," even if Hope didn't.
Hope nodded, accepting her hand and shaking it before pinning her son with an unimpressed glare, "I assume there'll be an explanation coming shortly."
"Yes Mum," he agreed with a sigh, taking Hermione's hand, his shoulders automatically dropping. Hope's eyebrows shot up her head.
"Oh my." she murmured, "Come on in then, your fathers still at work."
"How sad," Remus replied so completely insincerely, Hermione winced.
His mother shot him a half-hearted glare but hustled them into the house, pointing at the sofa. "Start talking Remus John."
With a sigh, Remus gestured to Hermione with his free hand, "Hermione Longbottom. You remember Alice?"
"Alice…Fawley?" Hope checked slowly, clearly trying to place the name. "Tall girl, always teasing someone."
"That's her," he agreed, "Alice married Frank Longbottom. Hermione's Frank's cousin."
His mother hummed, "I don't recognise the name. And I imagine I wouldn't forget Hermione."
"It's complicated," Hermione offered, "I didn't go to Hogwarts."
"You're…what do they call us…muggle?"
"No, I'm a witch. But I went to St Ursula's in Oxford. My mother had ah…issues with my father."
"Issues?"
Waving her off, Hermione shook her head, "It's ancient history and well… I've met him now. Sirius Black, I assume you're familiar." Hope snorted, confirming her assertion, "he got words mixed up in a ritual and all but summoned me a few months ago."
"Summoned…a person?" Hope asked incredulously.
"She landed on my lap out of nowhere at James and Lily's wedding," Remus interjected wryly. "I'm not sure which of us was more surprised."
"Me," Hermione retorted, making him laugh.
"And…you…what? Decided that…stepping out together…is that what you're doing? You decided that stepping out with stranger was a good idea?"
"The ritual was a soulmate ritual,." Hermione murmured, trying not to smile at Hope's old-fashioned phrasing. It was beaten only by Cassie's entirely serious query as to whether she and Remus were going steady. "We…agreed to get to know one another. Our boss is… fascinated and quite frankly pushy."
"Your boss? You work together?"
"Yes." Hermione agreed "In the Department of Mysteries. It's not ah…subject to Ministry law or prejudices."
Hope's face cycled through several different expressions, landing on one that was a mix of elation and worry, "You know then?"
"I've known since I met him. I had a Professor who was a werewolf, I knew the signs."
"A professor?" Hope squeaked.
"Yes," Hermione smiled slightly.
"Goodness, that's ...this jobs a real job?"
"It's real," Remus murmured softly, "Hard…but…I get to play with unknown magics, Mum. Discover new things, unravel the way things work…."
Hope's smile was soft as he spoke. "It sounds like you're enjoying it."
"Yes," he agreed.
"Good, that's…that's good." she blew out a breath, "and are you staying with that reprobate of a friend of yours?"
"Reprobate…" he frowned.
"Sirius," Hermione supplied with a huff of laughter.
"Oh!" he flushed as his mother laughed. "Ah…not exactly?"
"Not exactly?" Hope repeated. "And where, exactly, my boy are you staying?"
He mumbled something, making his mother's eyes narrow. "Repeat that!" she demanded.
"Im staying with Hermione," he sighed finally. "But…" he held up his hand, cutting his mother off, rambling in his haste to explain, "Her father, Uncle, aunt, cousin and his wife stay there too! It's…it's because they don't understand our connection, and Saul, our boss, is fascinated, and he wants to research it and well…things are…it's complicated…"
His mother froze, her mouth gaping slightly, "Complicated," she retorted, her tone dangerous, "Complicated enough to have you living with the girl….outside of wedlock…..is there something I should know?"
"Something you should…" he flushed scarlet, "No! Merlins ti…teeth, if you don't murder me, Hermione's Aunt Augusta or her father surely would!"
Hope eyed them shrewdly, "I have nightmares," Hermione blurted, "And I wish I could explain why, perhaps once this is over I will be able to but for just now its not safe. I wasn't sleeping and Saul suggested Remus stay in an attempt to prevent me becoming manic."
"How on Earth can it not be safe?"
Hermione shot Remus a slightly panicked look and he grimaced, "What has dad said about the trouble brewing?" he sighed.
"What trouble?"
"The…the attempt at a war?" Remus stammered.
"What?" his mother screeched.
"Oh hell," Hermione muttered, "There is an idiot preaching pureblood supremacy, with followers who are…dangerous and unhinged. Things are…difficult but there is a resistance."
Hope paled. "You're part of this resistance?"
Knowing it was futile to lie, Remus sighed, "Yes. He cannot win, Mum. He's dangerous."
"And you," she looked at Hermione, "You're also involved?"
"Yes," she agreed, "I couldn't live with myself if i wasn't. Remus is right, we cannot let him win."
"And if he finds out, this wizard on the opposite side?"
"Then I don't imagine it'll be pleasant," Hermione admitted.
"Don't imagine it'll be pleasant," she repeated, her hands shaking. "And…and the other side is now recruiting children?"
Hermione flinched as the question hit a little too close to home, "Not yet," she whispered. With a pained look of understanding, Remus let go of her hand and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Not at all," he contradicted.
"Not at all," she echoed with a sigh, "We can but hope."
Hope frowned, "I feel like I'm missing half the conversation."
"Because you are," Hermione smiled sadly, "But it's to keep you, me…an awful lot of other people safe."
With a hum, Hope nodded, taking in the tense girl all but melded to her son's side, her son who was watching her closely. She tried not to think of him as a predator, but the way he watched her, daring her to say anything that upset this girl further gave her pause. "I will…agree to withhold questions, but as soon as this is over I want answers!"
"Alright," Remus agreed slowly.
"Good now, Hermione…" Hope eyed her speculatively, "tell me about yourself." Remus groaned but Hermione grinned.
"Don't act like my father and Uncles haven't taken you aside for a chat," she chided."
"Your Uncle Alastor hasn't."
"Yet." Hermione retorted, "I imagine he's lulling you into a false sense of security. You're dueling him next week, aren't you?"
Remus paled as the implications hit him. "Yes," he squeaked, "Bt ah…he's Alastor Moody!"
"Yes," Hermione agreed with a frown.
"He's…no…I mean, hes your uncle and I understand that for some reason means you dont fear him in the slightlest but…but hes Alastor fucking Moody!"
"Ok," Hermione frowned, patting him on the shoulder, "He's hardly that frightening."
"He's Alastor Moody!" Remus all but screeched, sending both Hermione and his mother into a fit of giggles.
"Who's this then?" a voice demanded, interrupting Hope's laughing stories of Remus as a child and Remus' groaning protests. He stiffened immediately.
"Dad." Hermione slipped her hand into his at the sound of his flat tone.
"Remus." Lyall countered; Hermione didn't miss the flicker of distaste on his expression at the sight of his son. Given the way his spine straightened further neither did Remus. "And you are?"
"Hermione," she replied blandly "Mr Lupin i presume?"
Lyall's eyes narrowed, "Hermione what?"
"Longbottom," she retorted sharply. "I imagine you know my Uncle Alastor."
"I don't know any Alastor Longbottoms!"
"No. But I imagine you're familiar with Alastor Moody,"
A brief look of surprise flickered over Lyall's face. "Alastor Moody's you Uncle."
"Last time i checked." Remus made a small noise as if he'd gone to speak and thought better of it at her tone.
"I've never heard him mention a niece."
"No I imagine not, given that until recently my father had no idea I existed."
"And if I check?" he threatened. "If I floo Alastor and ask about a niece he's going to know who you are?
"I hope so. If he doesn't I imagine I'm going to have to admit him to St Mingos and he would not take that well."
Remus closed his eyes as if praying for patience as his father stomped to the floo that had clearly been disguised as a traditional fireplace for their muggle friends. He returned ten minutes later with a face like thunder.
"It would appear he is aware of your existence," he growled.
"Oh good. I'd have hated to have had to bite him to force him to be seen by a healer."
The charge was instantaneous as Hermione silently berated herself for her poor choice of words. Lyall's face went immediately hard, his wand falling into his hand as he raised it quickly, aiming for Hermione. "I won't have another creature in this house.
"Lyall!" Hope's shout was drowned by the growl Remus let out, his eyes no longer green as he physically shoved Hermione behind him.
"Do not point your wand at her."
The words were even but none of them missed the threat in them, a flash of fear travelled over Lyall's face before he steadied his hand. "Creatures like you two should be put down!"
Hermione sighed, sending a patronus to her Uncle before she shifted, slinking around Remus, prowling towards Lyall, her hackles raised. Underneath the blanket of calm her animagus form forded her, Hermione saw the indecision on Lyall's face, not sure whether to focus on the son he knew was a threat versus the witch he was no longer sure was anything more than a witch with a gift for transfiguration. He was prevented from having to make a choice when Hermione lunged at him, ignoring Hope's scream as she knocked him down, dislodging his wand before she turned and sat on him.
Remus looked momentarily taken aback before he began to laugh, the slightly hysterical edge the only sign he was still unnerved.
And that was where Alastor found them fifteen minutes later. He took a quick glance around the room before sighing, "He's turning purple lass, maybe let him up so I don't need to bribe the Wizengamot to let you off.
The giant wolf gave a huff before she stood, shifting back into herself, letting out a squeak when Remus immediately pulled her into him, burying his face in her hair.
"I don't suppose someone wants to explain?" Alastor checked wearily.
"Mr Lupin has an issue with keeping his prejudice to himself," Hermione grumbled, her arms banded tightly around Remus, able to feel how badly the last few minutes had affected him.
"Right," Alastor sighed, eyeing Lyall who was wheezing on the floor.
"I want that insane witch charged!" He demanded, struggling into a seated position. "She could have murdered me!"
"But she didn't." Alastor pointed out evenly.
"You pointed your wand at her!" Remus growled.
"I…I…she threatened to bite me!"
"She did no such thing!" Remus' voice deepened, his eyes turning amber. "I should gut you for threatening my mate."
"Moony." Hermione barked, drawing his attention back. "Enough."
"He threatened you! He is still threatening you!" The rest of the room watched in horrified fascination as Hermione attempted to wrangle Moony into submission.
"And if you react they'll send you to Azkaban. They don't allow visitors."
He froze, clearly contemplating that, before letting out something close to a whine, retreating behind Remus again. Instead of appearing embarrassed as she expected, Remus remained tense, his eyes finding his father's. "You are lucky I now give a fuck what happens to me."
Lyall paled, before sneering, "I always knew you were nothing more than a monster."
He opened his mouth to speak when Hermione pushed back from him and whirled to face Lyall, her eyes blazing. Alastor sucked in a harsh breath feeling the weight of the magic swirling around his niece. "I hope you feel every hurt you've inflicted on your son ten fold." she intoned, her voice surprisingly detached, "I hope you never know a moment's peace. I hope in your last moments you are alone, that you realise the consequences of your actions. You are the monster, not the wolf. May everyone else realise it and leave you as alone as you deserve to be."
Lyall gasped at the flash of gold when she finished speaking.
"Hermione…lass…" Alastor groaned. "Merlin's tits lassie, how am I explaining this to Barty?"
Hermione shrugged, turning to Hope. "I'd apologise but it would be a lie. It was lovely to meet you, but you'll forgive me for refusing to return if your husband is likely to appear."
Hope gave a choked sob, her arms wrapped tightly around her waist, "I don't blame you," she admitted before turning to her son. "Remus…"
He shook his head sadly, "Nothing I haven't heard before. I'll…I'll phone, Mum. Maybe we can meet for lunch or something."
She nodded slightly tremulously. "He doesn't mean…"
"He does, Mum. He always has." he cut her off, tugging Hermione back to him, sighing, "Let's go home." Not giving her a chance to argue, he turned on the spot, apparating away.
She gave him two days of pretending he was fine before cornering him in the library. Reading the intention on her face he groaned, "Hermione, I…please. Please can we not?"
"No."
"But.
"No.
"I don't…
"No."
His head thunked onto the back of the sofa. "I don't want to."
"I know," she admitted, curling into his side, "But you can't pretend it didn't happen. And you don't need to talk to me, but you need to talk to someone."
He groaned before sighing, wrapping himself around her tightly. "She always makes excuses. He…he's never hidden that he thinks i'm nothing more than an animal that should be put down and she makes excuses." He gave a mirthless laugh that ended with a stifled sob. "I don't know why he didn't just kill me and be done with it."
"Don't say that!" Hermione hissed, the thought of it stealing her breath. "Dont…dont ever…"
He sighed, tightening his arms around her, "I used to wonder what was wrong with me," he whispered, "What I'd done to anger the gods, i was a monster, my father despised me and my mother…my mother loved me, but not as much as she loved him."
"There's nothing wrong with you."
"Isn't there? Parents are supposed to be the people who love you the most…unconditionally. And…mine don't."
"And that says more about them than you. Your friends adore you. No one I have spoken to has anything but good things to say, well other than Severus and you're working on that. You are…kind and funny and patient. And yes, occasionally I want to beat some self esteem into you but I love you. You make me feel whole and safe and…"
She froze when he pulled her up his body so they were nose to nose. "You love me?" he whispered.
"I…I…yes." She gathered what was left of her courage once she realised what she'd just admitted. "Yes, I love you."
"Oh," he breathed, a look of disbelief tinged awe on his face before he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her fiercely. "Gods I love you too. You are…I never even imagined…." Unable to verbalise what he was trying to say, he kissed her again.
Later, having utilised some of Mary's box, Hermione ran a gentle hand through his hair, "You can't avoid talking about them you know. I know we got distracted but it's not healthy."
He sighed heavily, turning onto his back, tugging her with him, "I know." he admitted. "But I…I don't know how I feel. It's hardly a new experience but," he paused, changing tact. "Seeing him point his wand at you unlocked a new level of fear I had no idea existed. He's done it to me so many times, gods, he's used it and I have never felt the heart stopping panic that I felt when it was aimed at you. And I know deep down that that's not healthy but it's also…enough. It was enough that I can walk away and mean it. I think i want to see my mum but not there. I never want to set foot in that house ever again. And I think…i think i need to see her less. She never stopped him. And it would be easier if I thought she was afraid of him but I don't think that's it. I think she can pretend I'm not what i am but when he reminds her, she agrees with the way he thinks."
Hermione shook her head, "I don't know what it is but I didn't get the impression it was that. Remus, your mum loves you. I was written all over her face."
"But not enough," he reminded her softly, "Not enough to stop Dad being Dad."
Hermione sighed, drawing idle patterns on his chest. "I'm sorry," she said finally, "it's not fair."
"No it's not." he agreed with a sigh.