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Chapter Nine
Hermione
Two days after Snapes impromptu visit I recieved a letter from Harry. He was living with Sirius in Grimmauld Place and his godfather was throwing him a birthday party.
Of course I was gonna go but I explained my family was staying with me and thus when my doorbell rang I should not have been surprised to see Sirius and Harry standing on my doorstep.
"Harry what are you doing here?" Luckily since Professor Snapes visit both of the Malfoys had taken to wearing a glamour all the time so standing in the kitchen were two people who were practically strangers but had everything to lose.
"I wanted to invite you in person, your relatives too. Sirius said he could promise everyone to be on their best behaviour with no magic." I shook my head at Harry and brought the both of them into the house to where Narcissa and Draco were sitting with tea and a newspaper.
"That won't be necessary, this is my Aunt and Cousin. My cousin went to Durmstrang, we didn't know we were both magical until recently." After Snapes impromptu visit we all had to sit down and talk logistics, they decided staying in their Glamours whilst we were home from Hogwarts was the best option.
" Sweet, well then the more the merrier, I would love it if you could both come to my Birthday Party. It's tonight Six Pm and the dress is casual, I'm Harry, by the way." Draco shook my best friends hand as did Narcissa before she wrung her wrists in her hands which caused Sirius to cock his head to the side in confusion.
She made up some excuse in French to me about she couldn't go, before I could even try and convince her Sirius shook his head and came over to throw his arm around her shoulders in a comforting gesture.
"Nonsense, we will have plenty of adults there and it will be a great time for you to meet some people. I insist, Mollys baking is to die for and I expect to see you both there." All of us nodded our heads as they left the room with a POP leaving the two Malfoys glaring at me.
" Well, looks like we are going to a party. Look before you get pissy they wouldn't have taken no for an answer. So it seems we need to find you something to wear, both of you." Narcissa just walked away from me and went back into the kitchen and started clattering about which was translation for piss off and leave me alone.
"Never thought I would be going to Potters birthday party. What are you wearing girlie?" I looked down at myself and what I was wearing before Draco looked horrified and in the campist way I have ever seen dragged me upstairs.
"Oh no, this is not going to work. Let's go see what we have to work with? Your dressed like a teenager." I shook my head at his antics and let him drag me upstairs.
"I am a teenager, or at least I am supposed to be." He threw open my door and practically threw my arse down on the bed.
"There will be time enough for that when you go back to Hogwarts, tonight though you are going to be dressed like the hot twenty year old you are. What is the point of coming back in time if we can't use it to our advantage." Within seconds he had my wardrobe pulled apart and a pair of jeans which were practically painted on, a black tank top and a pair of boots that my mother got for me before finishing it off with a black leather jacket.
"Ok now take your hair down." I thankfully had washed, brushed and blew dry it straight this morning before sticking it up into a high ponytail.
"It's about time you sorted this wig out, the length suits you." I had grown my hair out using a potion thanks to Madame Pomfry and it now sat at the bottom of my back.
"Draco, don't take this,the wrong way but are you gay? If not your wasted as a, straight man." He smirked before leaving me to change and get ready but not before throwing my make up bag at me and told me to make myself look pretty.
I was pleasantly surprised at how well I have adapted to having them both here with me. It wrecked my nerves at how life was going to be for Draco when he goes back to school. Most of his peers will have found out from their family that Narcissa and Draco were missing, once he shows up on September First he will have a certain role he will have, to play.
Hopefully he could maybe sway a few more people into the fold aswell, the vast majority of Slytherin House stood side by side in the final battle and fought against their families. If we could get Draco whispering in their ear much sooner a lot of the damage could be avoided.
By the time we go back to school however I was hoping to only have Harry as an obstacle left. I could use tonight to get the Locket. The Diadem, Cup and Ring remnants were currently still in my school trunk. Only the locket, Snake and Harry to deal with. How to I rid my best friend of a Horcrux without killing him?
That was a problem for another day, for tonight we were going to have a party for his birthday, I did not know how many more of these we were all gonna get to celebrate together because regardless of how much I try, people are still gonna die.
Get in, party and get the Locket. Remember exactly what it is I am fighting for. Jumping into the shower I cleaned my body, done my hair and make up before throwing clothes on me. I could maybe get an hour of reading done before I had to leave.
The smell of Chocolate wafted throughout the house and that usually meant Narcissa was stress baking. It surprised me that the woman knew how to bake, considering her upbringing I would have thought House Elves catered to her every whim.
Walking downstairs with my boots in hand Draco sat with one of two dozen cookies and cupcakes. Narcissa was nowhere to be seen, I had to admit he looked good. A pair of dark wash jeans, converse and a black Beatles t-shirt to top it off.
"Where is your mum?" He pointed upstairs and I nodded and sat down beside him. It was strange, the friendship I now had with Draco Malfoy, never in a million years did I ever think he would be a confidant or even a friend.
"Do you know where the locket is?" I vaguely did but it wasn't unusual for me to go wandering around on my own in Grimmauld Place anyway. Now that Harry was living with Sirius, they along with Remus had been cleaning everyday and had hired a company to come and sort the house out.
" I think so, if not I will find it. Maybe try and convince Kreacher to help me." He cocked his head to the side in confusion, I forgot he didn't know about the grouchy old house elf.
"He is a Black Family elf, he belonged to Regulus Black who found out about the Horcruxes and intended to destroy it. He was killed in the first war before it could be destroyed. Kreacher loved Regulus and never really got over his death." Draco continued nodding and went to grap another cupcake before Narcissa appeared from behind us like a Ninja and slapped hin on the knuckles with her wand.
"Those are for the party Draco." As she came around to stand in front of us I couldn't stop my jaw from dropping. She didn't have her glamour on yet but was dressed in a pair of jeans which plastered onto her arse as if they had been painted on. A green silk blouse which was tucked into the waistband and her long hair pinned back but loose down her back.
"Damn Narcissa. You need to stop walking around like this or I am going to be far too distracted." Draco looked sickened as he always was when I flirted with the woman, she had a small blush trail across her features.
"Be prepared for the twins tonight, they will make inappropriate comments and whatever you do, don't eat anything they give you?" She, looked like a mix of confused and amused at my warning before nodding her head and piping icing onto the cupcakes.
Once she was finished she had four boxes, cookies, cupcakes, puff pastry monstrosities and some other thing along with a few bottles of wine.
"Are you expecting to drink yourself into a, stupor tonight?" She, smirked and handed me container to carry aswell as Draco before grabbing her bag and swinging it over her shoulder.
"If I am to spent the entire night in the company of my idiot cousin then alcohol is going to be needed." I smirked at her and she grabbed my hand and Dracos arm before we apparated away and landed on the doorstep of Grimmauld Place.
Neither one of us made any move to knock at the door but just as Draco scoffed and went to lift his hand to knock, it swung open and we were greeted by Remus Lupin who had a Happy Birthday party hat on his head.
"Hermione, it's good to see you. These must be your relatives. Come in please." He ushered us into the hallway and I was in awe of what I was seeing. Not a house elf head in sight and instead of the dark, peeling walls I was used to the hallways were so different.
All creams and magnolia it made it look so much bigger. The corridor was, still narrowed but with it being so light in colour it didn't appear to be confining. At the end of the hall the stairway down into the basement was now all open planned and I could see six long steps and the light from the kitchen filtered up into the hallway.
"Remus this place looks amazing." He nodded and smiked at me as he offered to take our jackets from us and ushered us down the hallway.
"We still have the top two floors to complete but hopefully that will be finished for Harry going to Hogwarts. He and Sirius have been busy so far, originally Sirius wanted to sell it but Harry wanted to make it into a proper family home. Something neither of them have ever had, something they've ushered me into also which I am grateful for. Kreacher nearly had a fit when we started boxing things up." I nodded and held tightly onto his arm in comfort before I stopped and turned to Narcissa and Draco donning their disguise.
" This is my cousin Daniel he attends Durmstrang and my Aunt Genevieve. I only found out about Daniel having magic when we started sending letters and getting to know each other." We decided to tell everyone something simple and effective because realistically they would both hopefully have their identities back after the war and if I had any say in it the world would know what they have done to help me.
" Well its a pleasure to meet you both, the more the merrier, I will warn you though that Arthur Weasley might have some questions about the Muggle world. He means no harm." Shit I forgot about Arthur.
"Aunt Genevieve is actually from the magical community, Aunt by marraige and might not be able to help answer too many questions." She looked gratefully at me for now and Remus just nodded letting his eyes linger on Narcissa before bringing us down into the kitchen where I could hear a ruckus. There was a bassy tune playing from the lounge and lots of squealing coming from the small back garden.
Molly Weasley and Tonks rushing around the room in a flap was what greeted us all before the former noticed us and came running over to give me a hug.
"Oh Hermione, it's so good to see you my darling, goodness you are growing like a weed and becoming oh so beautiful. Look at you. Now these must be your relatives? It's a pleasure to meet you please come in." She waved her wand and the boxes of cakes and food flew to the table.
"Thank you for bringing food it was very nice of you." Before I could react I felt Harry run up and throw his arms around me along with a clearly tipsy Sirius behind him.
"Moony, thank you for recieving my guests. May I say you look fetching this evening ladies." He took Narcissas hand in his own and went to kiss it before she moved it slightly.
"Apologies, germaphobe. Excuse me. Happy Birthday Mr Potter." She handed him a gift and walked out of the room more than likely to explore. It might have been getting overwhelming for her being in the house.
"What did I do?" I shook my head at him and rolled my eyes as Harry turned his head to Draco with a smile.
"You like Quidditch?" At an enthusiastic nod Harry trailed him away leaving me with Molly, Sirius and Remus. I set down my own box of treats Narcissa made and excused myself from the room but not before hearing Molly scold the new Lord Black.
"You are going to get hexed one of these days Sirius. You can't just flirt with everybody or did Amelia Bones stinking hex to the balls not warn you." I smirked at the Weasley Matriarchs words before heading in search of the Locket, I brought a sealed container to place it in.
I roamed all of the rooms but they had since been redecorated, I wasn't expecting this level of change to the house and I would be severely pissed if Sirius had gotten rid of it. Room after Room I hunted and still no sign of it anywhere, it wasn't until I reached the attic I had hit the trifecta.
Boxes upon boxes of crap but it was labelled crap, loads of it was labelled as Gringotts, there was books, jewellery, clothes, paintings, wands some miscellaneous items. Heading straight to the jewellery boxes I tore it open and threw my dragonhide gloves on before moving everything out of the way.
It was definitely not here and at this point we are well and truly fucked. I don't even know where to start looking for it. A soft POP echoed and as I looked behind me it all fell into place.
"The Mudblood be pilfering those things belonging to the Noble Hoise of Black." Kreacher, I had never been so glad to see the little elf.
"Kreacher thank god. I am not pilfering, well I am a little but not in the way you think. I am looking for the locket that belonged to Regulus, I have something that can destroy it. I have something that can finish the work he was doing. Do you know where it is?" The grouchy elfs eyes filled up with water and as I knelt down in front of him I couldn't help but see what loving in this house with the locket for so long had done to him.
"The mudblood wants to destroy the locket." I only nodded my head and before I could say anything else in defence of my actions he clicked his fingers and it appeared on his hand, I had never breathed such a sigh of relief in my life.
"Thank You Kreacher. Thank You. I can't do it here, when it's done and the evil is gone, I will bring it back to you. You can keep it OK but you can't tell anyone." The house elf started crying and handed it to me before popping away out of the room to god knows where. As soon as it sat in my hand I felt the anger, evil and fear erupt from it.
Tucking it into the case I hid it in my beaded bag before walking out of the attic and down toward the now booming music. There was food, dancing, games and for the adults drinking. Charlie was trying to chat up Tonks by the looks of him and I couldn't help but be sad about the fact that Remus won't have a son in the future but I guess saving Sirius created a catalyst for everyone.
"Hermione, where have you been?" Making up a silly excuse of the bathroom I nodded to Narcissa who just smirked at me. Draco was too busy flirting with Harry which was amusing to watch mostly because Harry was clueless as to what he was trying to do.
Neville had arrived aswell as Seamus, Dean and Luna. It was fun to see everyone just acting their age but realistically I could practically feel the locket weighing in my pocket and it was a bit of a wake up call.
The war was something that had effected every single person in this house at some point or another. If I had it my way they wouldn't need to lift a finger but I had this strange feeling in my gut that things were not going to go that simply.
Molly had announced that the food was ready and after the initial stampede of elephants it was Narcissa and I left lingering behind. I hooked my arm through hers to which she smiled slightly and I couldn't help but be thankful for the woman.
Of all people for me to strike up a friendship with, Narcissa Bloody Malfoy but alas a friend she was and in such a short period of time she had become one of my strongest allies.
"I found the locket. All that is left is the snake and Harry. I still don't know how I am going to get to either one of those. I don't want to go back to Hogwarts with this hanging over my head."
She nodded and squeezed my arm in a show of strength but before she could say anything we walked straight into Andromeda Tonks. I had only met the woman once before in this timeline but in the future she was someone I had grown very fond of.
Standing behind her was a man I had never met before now but recognised from photos. Ted Tonks was a fairly fit looking man with blonde hair and I could see so much of Dora in him.
"Hermione. It's so good to see you again." I could practically feel Narcissa freeze beside me and it was then I realised it was probably the first time she had seen her older sister in a long time.
"You too Andromeda. This must be your husband?" She smiled and nodded before ushering the friendly but uncomfortable man in front of her.
"I have heard a lot about you Miss Granger, this must be your Aunt. Molly was still scolding Sirius when I left the kitchen." He held his hand out to Narcissa and it took her a few, seconds but she nodded her head and plastered a fake smile on her face, only I knew she was terrified.
As she let go of his hand she wrung her wrists together and bit her lip before turning to me with wide eyes. Ted was called away by Dora leaving me with two of the three Black Sisters.
"Je vais rentrer à la maison. je me sens un peu malade." I only nodded knowing she had enough of surprises and family and was going home to probably drown herself in a vat of wine.
"C'est un plaisir de vous rencontrer." It surprised me to hear Andromeda speak to her in French but I could tell Narcissa wasn't shocked and just vaguely nodded her head at the women and walked away from us toward the front, as I peeked my head around the corner I could feel Andromedas eyes on me as Narcissa pulled on her coat and left through the front door without looking back.
I couldn't stop the slightly nervous smile Andromeda was throwing me right about now, I just waved and went to walk into the kitchen where I could hear a ruckus over food. Before I could get two steps however I felt the older woman tug on the loop of my jeans and pull me backwards into the lounge again.
Locking and warding the door she turned to point her wand in my face and I knew I was rumbled. I could have cursed Narcissa, for someone who has the stoicism of a bloody queens guard I cannot fathom why she can't stop fidgeting when she comes across her own family.
"Look into my eyes Hermione and tell me the truth. Who is that woman?" Play dumb or tell the truth, the Andromeda I had met in the future was a formidable witch and more than capable of holding her own.
"Andromeda put down the wand. You are treading on dangerous territory and it's not something I can fully explain to you." She didn't lower her wand and if anything brought it closer to my neck. In this moment and light she looked like Bellatrix.
"Either that woman is your Aunt and I am mistaken of you are harboring Narcissa Malfoy and for some stupid reason have not told the order about it. She is dangerous." I smirked and couldn't stop the giggle that erupted out of me to which the elder Black sister cocked her head to the side.
" I cannot explain it but she is helping me, don't ask me how I know and please and for me do not tell anyone what you know. They wanted Draco to take the Dark Mark because Lucius failed. They would brutally beat, torture and rape her to try and coerce him into doing it. Draco is my friend and he asked me to help him. No one knows who they really are and no one knows that I have befriended him. " She slowly started lowering her wand when I started mentioning what her sisters treatment was more than likely going to be.
"Could you imagine what Harry, Sirius, The Weasleys and the Order would have to say about it. No one can know Andromeda, they would not be treated fairly and Albus Dumbledore will never trust them. I know you don't know me very well, but I need you to trust when I say they are not a threat to you or to the Order. Narcissa has helped me locate something that can kill him. Voldemort. " It was refreshing to see her not even flinch at the name, unlike the rest of the Wizarding population.
"She stole something from Bellatrix which was entrusted to her from Voldemort before fleeing with Draco to help us. She doesn't want people to know what kind of person she is but I have seen the protective nature she has for her son and she would kill for him. She has became a very good friend to me and protected me also. We need her and I need to know that the information I have given you is protected. So I need a vow or else I will have to obliviate you." She smirked at me before turning her back to me for the first time.
"You have some balls little girl." I cast an age detecting charm and her jaw fell open like a catfish. There in front of her was my real age and as she looked between it and me she dropped her arse down on the arm of the chair behind her.
"I was given a time Turner in my third year, I might have been a bit excessive with it. I am anything but a naive and inexperience little girl Andromeda so please everything you have learnt today, can you keep it a secret?" Her hand sat by her side and her wand hungly loose in it but she just stood up abruptly and hugged me.
"She is my sister, I would never do anything to put her in jeopardy. It seems that she has had her own hardships as the years have passed so I will not tell anyone. Please promise me whatever you are doing, you will be careful. You Gryffindors have a tendency to act first and not think of the concequences." I laughed and tapped her softly on the shoulder blade before pulling away from her.
" You forget I have two Slytherins to balance me out." She shrugged and nodded at me before taking me by the arm in a way similar to that of her sister and laughing.
"Yes, but Narcissa was a hatstall so god knows what her inner house is." I was surprised but the door opened before we could say anything else and Remus tucked his head around the door with three plates in his hand.
"Ronald is making it his mission in life to devour one of everything so I figured I would grab you all a plate. Is everything ok?" I nodded at Remus before taking one off him and a fork.
"My Aunt had a bit of a headache so decided to head home." He seemed a little disappointed at that was something which Andromeda found entirely too amusing. We joined the party without another word and I spent the day celebrating my best friends birthday and trying hard not to think of the tasks ahead.
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