"I want to come," Frank eyed a pale, shaking Hermione and narrowed his eyes, silently daring her to refuse him.
"Frank, she's going to be so overwhelmed…Dad's already insisting and…"
"And she's my cousin too." he finished pointedly before his face softened, "And you look terrified."
"It's not every day you meet your parents and yourself," Hermione quipped, trying and failing to smile.
"Merlin's balls, Hermione," he muttered. "Look I don't imagine your grandfathers going to be impressed but you truly do look terrified. Today is going to be hard and I'm not sitting at home waiting on it all to go tits up and worrying about you."
Hermione sighed, feeling a surge of affection for her cousin, despite how irritating his insistence was. "Uncle Alastor will hex you."
"I've learned to dodge that wizard's wand," he countered.
"Successfully?" she checked with a hint of a teasing smile on her face. Her cousin grimaced minutely but didn't reply, telling her everything she needed to know.
"Are we ready?" Hector checked wandering into the room. He did a slight double take at the sight of his son, arching a brow questioningly.
"Hermione invited me," Frank smiled blandly at his father, ignoring his blatant disbelief.
"Don't be ridiculous of course she didn't." Algie scoffed, taking his daughter's arm, his eyes running over her with concern. "She's not stupid."
"I'm coming anyway." he retorted.
"Of fucking course you are," he grumbled. "And your mother?"
"Of course I am, the girl's my niece." Augusta retorted, "We've been kept away her entire life but they're going to need help navigating things with the baby."
"Don't you think this is going to be too much all at once?" Hector ventured.
"Likely, but there's no sense in drawing it out," Agusta replied tartly. "Are we ready?"
With a look of resigned, exasperated acceptance, Hector offered her an arm. "Shall we then? Before Alice decides she's joining us too."
"Oh my…." Elspbeth trailed off at the sight of them all, her eyes landing on them one by one. "This is…I wasn't quite expecting so many of you."
"Well, best to get it all over with all at once," Augusta replied briskly, stepping into the house. Unseen, Hector shot his sister-in-law an apologetic look. She missed it, her eyes on Hermione and the grip she had on Algie's arm.
"Your Uncle Alastor is here already," she offered with a strained smile. "Sarah and Richard are running a wee bit behind, they're still getting used to factoring in a baby." Silently, Hermione nodded, not able to find the words around the overwhelming fear that this was about to go horrendously badly. "And is this your young man?"
Behind her, Frank choked. "Definitely not. We're not Blacks. I'm Frank, Auntie Elspbeth."
"Frank." she breathed. "Wee Frank? Good heavens! Look at you lad!"
"Let's go and get a seat," Algie murmured, tugging Hermione forward. "If nothing else, if we need to conjure a couple it'd be best to do it before Sarah gets here."
She allowed him to lead her into the living room where her Aunt and Uncle were already seated, ignoring the glower on her grandfather's face. Next to them, her Uncle Alastor looked faintly amused.
"Hermione lass, I was sure your wizard would be here today."
"He doesn't know I'm here," she admitted softly, "He'd just fuss and then he'd panic because it's technically like meeting my parents."
Frank stifled a laugh, well able to imagine Remus' antics as Alastor grinned, "Fair enough. I've been meaning to have a chat with him."
"What's he like?" Elspbeth asked suddenly, sinking into an armchair, watching with fascination as Frank conjured another two sofas, Hector manoeuvring them so they fit into the room.
"Lupin? He's…unsure," Alstor began slowly, "But not unwilling to stand up to her. He fusses, but clearly adores her. He's almost as intelligent as our girl here, Saul's impressed at any rate and I'm satisfied he could hold his own in a duel."
"Is he kind?" Elspbeth cut in impatiently, "Hector gave us a brief overview but you're…well. You're less easy to impress. So, does he have the same ideals? Does he want the same things…."
"He's a werewolf." Hermione interjected bluntly, noting the way both her grandparents stilled.
"Hes what now?" Lenny demanded.
"A werewolf. So he has no idea what he wants, he never considered he'd get anything at all. I terrify him."
"You terrify him?"
"Well he's hardly scary," she scoffed with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Give him five years and I imagine I'll need to stage an intervention to prevent him living in cardigans and varying shades of brown."
At that, Frank couldn't contain his laugh, even Augusta appeared to be struggling, her head bowed and her shoulders shaking. "Only you," Algie murmured with undisguised fondness. "Most people think he's a monster."
Yes, well, most people are idiots." she retorted sharply.
"True enough, lass, true enough," Alastor soothed before they all stiffened at the sound of the door opening.
"What's going on?" Hermione's breath caught at the sight of her mother, young, whole and cradling an impossibly small bundle that could only be this new version of herself. Her father and cousin had her hands in a bone-breaking grip, keeping her anchored to this version of reality. She realised then that she should have brought Remus with her. Despite being likely to fuss, he was grounding in a way no one else was but she had been wary given how they'd left things with his parents and she hadn't wanted to make things worse. He would have set aside his own issues to support her but she didn't want that, not now he was finally beginning to talk to her about it. It crossed her mind that she was doing him a disservice but it was too late to fix that now. Despite that, she knew that if the roles had been reversed she would have wanted to be here.
"Are you not going in, love?" the jovial voice of her father inquired. "Or are you stuck in the doorway?"
"Oh ha ha, that doesn't work now I'm no longer the size of a house," Sarah scoffed, finally moving into the room, looking slightly surprised, "Did you get new furniture?"
"After a fashion," Elspbeth murmured, gesturing to the conjured sofa.
"What's all this then?" Richard's eyes widened in surprise as he took in the full room, moving to sit beside his wife.
"You know your Uncle Alastor," Elspbeh gestured carelessly.
"Yes Mum," Sarah retorted with exaggerated patience as she adjusted the baby in her arms. "I know we don't see him often but I recognise my Uncle."
Elspbeth hummed, clearly not sure how to proceed. "We thought it was time you met the rest of your Uncles." Hector interjected.
"My what?"
"I'm aware you didn't know," Elspbeth began hesitantly, her eyes glued to her daughter's face, "but your father has two brothers."
Sarah twisted to look at her father accusingly. He grimaced, looking momentarily ashamed, "There's rather a long story my girl so perhaps save your judgement until then."
"You truly have two brothers?" she demanded.
Lenny sighed, nodding his head towards Algie and then Hector. "Your Uncle Algernon who goes by Algie, and your Uncle Hector and Aunt Augusta. The young lad's their Frank, your cousin."
Sarah blinked at them looking stunned, "Am I to assume that the woman's his wife or is she another cousin?" she asked finally, her eyes on Hermione.
"That's where things get a little more complicated." Alastor offered, attempting a sympathetic smile.
"Complicated how?"
"We're going to tell you something that's unbelievable love," Elspbeth sighed, moving to sit beside her daughter, "But I imagine we'll be able to provide some proof at the end."
"Jesus," she muttered, "Go on then."
"You know of course that I'm the youngest of three," Sarah nodded, "And well your father is also the youngest of three, what makes us different is that we're something called squibs."
"Squibs?" Sarah repeated flatly. "What in the name of all that is holy is a squib?"
"Well me and your father dear. And you. Your Uncles and your Aunt Heather were born with magic."
"Magic." Sarah interrupted flatly. "Mother, have you been drinking?"
Silently, Hermione flicked her wrist animating one of the small dog figurines on her grandmother's table, sending it running joyously in a circle chasing its own tail with a happy series of barks. She watched as her mother froze. Cancelling the spell, she turned the cushion next to her father into a rabbit and back again, making him jump.
"Magic," she intoned.
"That's not possible."
"Unfortunately it is," Alastor spoke softly, "I wasn't around much because I had no idea your father was also a squib, we have to hide it from non magical folks and that's hard."
"I don't..I don't understand."
"Some people are born with magic, some are not." he replied gently, "People born to magical families without magic themselves are known as squibs. Those born with magic to non-magical parents are known as muggleborn."
"This is insane," Richard breathed. "Why are you telling us now?"
"Well," Elspbeth sighed, "We have it on good authority that our Beatrice will have magic."
They both stilled. "How?" Richard demanded eventually, sounding strangled.
"Merlin, this is where it goes beyond unbelievable," Alastor groaned. "A couple of months ago, Frank and his wife Alice brought me a witch," he nodded to Hermione, "Who had appeared at their friend's wedding due to another friend meddling with ritual magic and buggering up the words."
"Ritual magic?"
"Aye, ritual magic harnesses ancient magics. It's not something you do lightly. Day to day, witches and wizards use a wand, or like our Hermione here, channel it through themselves wandlessly. Ritual magic generally involves more than one person, chanting, circles…it's often a bit of a process. The young Black Heir was cocky and I imagine, drunk, idiot that he is and performed a soulmate ritual for his friend. It's meant to give a name. However, as I said he buggered the words and instead it brought Hermione here."
"And that's relevant because….?" Sarah prompted impatiently.
"Because she claimed to be my great-niece from 1998."
Hermione watched with detached fascination as her parents' jaws dropped simultaneously. "I confirmed it was true," Alastor continued gently. "The lass is yours, from several years in the future."
"That's not possible." Richard whispered, his eyes meeting Hermiones, clearly scanning her for a hint of shared features.
"You don't think she looks like our Beth?" Alastor checked.
"Yes," Sarah whispered, turning slowly to her mother. "That's why you pushed us to discount Hermione."
"We thought two of them would be confusing, even if she is now technically your cousin, not your daughter.
"What?"
"Your Uncle Hector and Unce Alastor performed an adoption ritual with Uncle Algie. Hermione is now technically the daughter of Algie and Auntie Heather."
"That's…that's possible?"
"Yes, I don't profess to understand it but if you were to check her lineage now, that's what it would show."
"I…I think I need a minute." Sarah gasped, standing abruptly from the sofa and all but running from the room, an ashen faced Richard following close behind.
"Well…" Frank trailed off clearly realising that he had no idea what to say, squeezing Hermione's hand in an attempt at comfort.
"I'll go and speak to them," Elspbeth murmured, standing slowly, the indecision clear on her face.
They returned half an hour later, Sarah and Richard calmer but both still alarmingly pale, Sarah's arms cradled protectively around her daughter. "You're our daughter."
Hermione jumped, eyeing her mother. "Yes."
She hummed. "Mum said…she said that you plan to help children like you. She said fitting in was an issue."
"Yes," Hermione blew out a breath. "The magical world is not kind to muggleborns."
"Why?" Richard checked.
"Why?" Hermione repeated, attempting to choose her words carefully, not at all sure how successful she was when she blurted, "Because they need a rallying point and muggleborns are an easy target. Because muggleborns come into the world at eleven knowing nothing and therefore don't understand that they're being offensive. And Merlin do people like to take offense, despite the fact we're deliberately kept in the dark until we're due to attend hogwarts. The system is broken but instead of realising that the purebloods in power are the ones who insist it stays broken, they blame muggleborns for not magically knowing what purebloods are taught for years."
"So they're going to hate her?" he murmured with a pained expression, one hand reaching to touch Beatrice.
"No. No they're bloody not because she is not going to grow up like I did."
Her parents, all three of them, flinched at her tone.
"It was that bad?"
Hermione sighed, eyeing this young, unsure version of her mother, "I was odd. Strange things happened and other kids were nervous." she paused, "you were nervous. You loved me, and you tried to hide it but the things i could do, the things you didn't understand, scared you. And then I went to school and met the bloody Chosen One which meant my school years were far more bizarre than most. It made an already difficult situation even more so because I couldn't even begin to explain some of the things going on. And ultimately it meant that I had to fight a war to prove I was worthy of the magic I was born with. I was The Mudblood and I know you don't know what that means, not really, but at one point there were wanted posters with my face on them. I was worth an obscene amount of galleons."
"How many?" Frank checked curiously, making her laugh despite the horrified looks on everyone else's faces.
"8500, only Harry was worth more at 10000, a bog standard basic mudblood was only worth five."
The room stilled, before Algie found his voice, growling, "You call yourself that again my girl and I will hex you!"
She shrugged, "It bothers people who grew up in the wizarding world, and I hate the implications of it, but the word itself? It doesn't mean anything."
"What's that in pounds?" Richard ventured into the silence, earning a jab from his wife's elbow.
"Um. Just over 42000? About that."
"So ah…um…muggleborn was it? A muggle born who wasn't you was worth…"
"About twenty five quid," Hermione retorted bitterly.
"Jesus Christ."
"And if we don't want her in this world?" Sarah checked anxiously.
"It's not safe not to," Hermione admitted, sounding exhausted. "I do intend to change things, however Hogwarts is not the only school. Beauxbatons is in France and much more tolerant."
"We get to choose?"
"Not typically, they don't tell the parents of muggleborns much. I intend to change that too."
"Will you manage?"
"Yes," she growled, "Even if I have to imperius every last one of them."
"Lets not do that, my girl," Algie gave a weak smile. "You wouldn't like Azkaban and that wizard of yours would likely break you out, aided and abetted by the other one and possibly those hellion twins."
"And Mary, Cassie and Alice," Frank muttered, stifling a grin.
"Azkaban?" Sarah checked.
"Wizarding prison, "Augusta offered, "It's not a pleasant place."
"And you'd go there for…for this imperius?"
"It removes your free will," Hector explained gently, "It's one of three Unforgivable curses."
"Have you cast it?" Frank asked suddenly, his face registering his horror when he realised that he'd asked out loud.
"Don't answer that!" Algie immediately interjected, sounding panicked.
Hermione frowned, "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Dad. I haven't as it happens."
"Oh thank Merlin," he slumped slightly.
"You thought she was capable?" Richard checked, the fear stark on his face.
There was a clear pause before Hector spoke, "Hermione's history is complicated. She fought a war. And sometimes, the things you do to survive are not things you'd do normally."
"You fought a war," Richard repeated as if he hadn't understood she meant a literal one during her monologue. The realisation sent several emotions flashing across his face, none of them good, his eyes landing on the smallest version of his daughter as he attempted to hide his fear.
"Yes," Hermione agreed, her voice devious of all emotion.
"It leaves scars."
"Literally," she muttered, "But yes."
"Why?" Sarah demanded.
"Why did I fight?" her mother nodded, "Because my best friend was literally prophesied to save the damn world. People like me were being rounded up and thrown in Azkaban or murdered. What else was I supposed to do?"
"And will she….?" Sarah choked her eyes on the daughter in her arms.
"No." Hermione's tone was uncompromising. "No she will not. We're dealing with it."
"You're dealing with it," Richard voiced, "Again."
She shrugged with a nonchalance she knew fell flat, "What other choice do I have?"
"You could leave, surely?"
"And live with all the deaths I know are coming? Knowing I could save people and actively choosing not to? That isn't who you raised me to be."
He flinched but didn't comment as Sarah appeared to war with herself before standing, passing her husband the baby and yanking Hermione to her feet, squeezing her tightly. It was only when they saw her shoulders shaking but didn't hear a sound that the wixen in the room realised Hermione had silenced herself as she sobbed, her hands clutching the back of her mother's blouse so tightly her knuckles were white.
Twenty minutes later, looking hesitant, Richard dropped Beatrice into a protesting Hermione's arms. It was surreal, looking at this tiny three week old version of her face, she couldn't help but think that she resembled nothing so much as a blob.
"You'll look out for her?" Sarah checked, looking conflicted.
"Yes." Hermione murmured.
"Have you picked godparents?" Augusta asked suddenly.
"Godparents?" Richard repeated with clear confusion, "We're not religious…."
"What?"
"They have different connotations in the muggle world Aunt Augusta." Hermione mumbled, stroking a hand over the downy cheek of her smaller self, watching the minute changes in her expression with fascination.
"Oh. Oh, I see…in our world it's putting faith in the person you want to look after a child should anything happen to you. In little Beatrice's case, if you picked a witch or wizard, they'd have rights in our world.
"You want us to give up our rights…?" Richard began hotly, moving as if to take Beatrice back.
"No!" Hector replied firmly, "No, that is not what Augusta is saying. In our world, muggle parents have limited rights. Something that I'm sure Hermione is also going to tackle, but currently muggleborns are placed in the guardianship of the headmaster or headmistress of their school. Muggles cannot see Hogwarts, or St Mungos, our hospital, unless they are with someone with magic. Our curriculum and our treatment options are different, which makes decision making harder. Now, any one of us will obviously explain so you can make informed decisions if you ever need to, with that being said, if Hermione's plan takes longer than she'd like, having someone in place that would be contacted immediately, who you trust would call you, can only be to your advantage."
"And you think we should pick who?" Sarah asked shrewdly.
"I would suggest you spend some time getting to know us. However you know Alastor the best of all of us, he is an option."
She looked faintly surprised, "I thought you were going to suggest Hermione."
"She is also an option," he shrugged, "But the choice should be yours."
"Is a magical child so different to a non magical one?"
Augusta sighed, "It can be. Accidental magic is often explosive. Combined with the differences in curriculum…it would be best for you to consider a magical education. Of course, if there are aspects of a muggle education you feel are vital, I imagine those could be worked in."
"Why?"
"To prepare her for the life she is going to have. It removes the automatic handicap all muggleborns have upon entering Hogwarts."
"What do you think?" Richard asked suddenly, turning to Hermione.
She grimaced, pulling her attention away from the baby, "Aunt Augusta is not wrong," she admitted, "Things would have been much easier if I'd had a grounding in all the things Hogwarts just assumes were already taught at home and truthfully, some contact with other children like me would have been nice. With that being said, a muggle curriculum is far more well rounded and I do think a mix of the two would be best; if she's anything like me, she'll cope with the extra workload. If we manage nothing else though, I really would like it if she had friends this time."
"You didn't?" Sarah checked looking pained.
"My first ever friend was a boy I met on the Hogwarts Express, I didn't know he was also my cousin."
"So there's… more family?"
"Not yet," Hermione admitted, before grinning suddenly at a paling Frank, "soon though. There was ten months between Neville and I. Assuming I can face it, Harry too. Ron will arrive in March. Susan Bones not long after him. She'll have another year after them for Gin and Luna but if you're open to wizarding friendships I'd recommend all of them."
"Ready to face the Weasleys then?" Frank asked curiously.
Hermione blew out a breath glancing down at the baby in her arms. "No but…I can't imagine what my life would have been without them, so for her… I'll try. The twins offered to take me. Maybe if I meet them before Ron's born it'll be less….horrific."
There were grimaces unseen around the room before Sarah spoke decisively. "You'll be godmother then?"
"Me?" Hermione squeaked, her head rising sharply.
"Yes," she nodded, "You. It's…it's insane and unbelievable and I'm not entirely sure I've not been drugged, but assuming I've not, she's you. Surely you're her best option? If nothing else I imagine you'll have a rather clear insight into what she's thinking. I must admit I'm hoping you do, it'll take some of the guesswork out of her teenage years."
Hermione stared at her mother in dumbfounded silence before realising she was being entirely serious, "Right…I…right."
"You'll do it then?" Richard checked.
"If you're sure." she whispered.
"Definitely," he offered her a timid smile, "Do godparents have to be partners or can they be unrelated?"
"They can be unrelated," Augusta answered, "But you might quite like Remus."
"You just want to see how he reacts to two of me," Hermione grumbled.
"Oh undoubtedly dear," Augusta agreed, "And I admit to being curious how it works."
"How what works?" Sarah frowned.
"Well, Remus and Hermione are soulmates."
"It's a real thing in this world, not just an indication of compatibility." Hermione mumbled in explanation.
"Actual soulmates?" Sarah breathed.
"Yes. It's…" she weighed up her next words, "Remus is complicated. He has a condition that makes people fear him."
"A contagious condition?"
"Only if you're stupid enough to break into a warded safe area during a full moon," she muttered.
"What?"
"He's a werewolf," she sighed, "And he has scars…."
"A werewolf?" Richard squeaked, "Those are real? Hermione…are you…are you sure? Are you safe?"
With a look of faint but genuine amusement, Hermione eyed this young version of her father, shoving down how strange this was., "Yes. He is…well, I don't imagine he'll be what you're imagining."
"Well get him here then!" Augusta demanded impatiently, a look of anticipation leaving her eyes twinkling in a way that reminded Hermione uncomfortably of the Weasley twins.
"You approve of this..um… man?" Richard checked his eyes on Algie.
"Surprisingly yes," he admitted slowly, "The lad knows how to calm her down. He takes precautions. He's far more scared of him hurting someone than anyone else is."
"Once a month?" Sarah checked shakily. "That's…that's what mythology says…"
"Yes. Once a month he turns into a wolf, before which, he takes himself off to somewhere where he is magically locked in to ensure he is safe. And…" she eyed Alastor. "How unethical would it be to brew a potion that hasn't been released for sale yet? I think it's still being tested."
"What does it do?"
"Let him keep his mind." she murmured, "Although having spoken to Moony I don't know how wise it is."
"Moony?"
"Remus' wolf," Hermione shrugged, answering her grandmother.
"And how did you speak to him?" She looked torn between fascinated and horrified.
"Well he was a bit upset and sort of…overrode Remus to ensure I didn't move from his lap and kill myself through overwork and exhaustion."
Elspbeth blinked, "I don't understand."
"No, neither do we. Saul's looking into it."
"Hermione! Stop getting sidetracked," Augusta demanded.
With a sigh, ignoring Frank's laughter, Hermione conjured her patronus, sending it loping off. "Was that a wolf?" Lenny demanded.
"Dire wolf I believe. It's my animagus form."
"You're an animagus?" Elspbeth breathed.
"Since the end of fourth year."
"Fourth year! Merlin's balls, lassie." Alastor exclaimed.
"Well Sirius sodding Black managed it in fifth so I made him teach me."
At that, Alasor let out a barking, rusty laugh, "Of course you did."
"Teach me cousin!" Frank immediately begged.
"What's your patronus?" she queried.
He pouted suddenly, "A bloody labrador."
Hermione froze before she began to laugh, "Oh my Merlin! That's…yes. Yes I will teach you because I cannot wait to see that!"
"What's…what?" Sarah stuttered.
"Oh, I can turn into a wolf," Hermione dismissed like it was nothing, "There's a bit of a process but apparently we all have an animal in us. Mine happens to be a direwolf, which means I can change into one at will."
"And the thing that you sent?"
"My Patronus. It's the lightest of magic. It can be used as a defence against some creatures in our world because it's fuelled by happy memories. It can also be used to send messages. You can't fake a patronus, so it's an infallible identification system."
"Wow." Richard muttered as a knock sounded on the door.
"I'll get it, shall I?" Alastor offered with a slightly sinister grin.
"Uncle Alastor, be nice!" Hermione whined.
"I make no promises." he shrugged unrepentantly.
Twenty minutes later, after Frank had attempted to explain magical transportation options, a pale faced Remus entered the living room going completely still at the sight of Hermione cradling a baby.
"Marriage before you give my son a cousin, Lupin" Frank teased, looking far too amused.
"Going in boy?" Alastor growled, making him jump.
"Hermione," he squeaked as he sat down next to her, making the rest of the room grin.
"Remus," she countered, trying not to join them, "Meet ah…me? I'm Beatrice this time around."
"Holy fuck," he breathed.
"Remus! The baby!"
"She's asleep!" he protested. "And…and you're holding yourself! That's insane"
"I know," she muttered before swiftly depositing Beatrice in his arms when she began to fuss. The effect was immediate, letting out the most adorable little squeak Beatrice stilled and settled.
"Huh, works on her too." Hermione mused.
"Hermione!" Remus' eyes were blown wide with panic. "I've never held a baby this small!"
"You have now." she retorted, feeling immediately better now he was here. "Do you think I could force Severus to hold her?"
Remus paused in his panic. "Only if I can watch."
"Severus"? Sarah checked.
"A friend. He's…prickly and stubborn and unbelievably sweet."
"Sweet." Frank checked flatly, "Snape is sweet?"
"He is with her," Remus reminded him. "You know he is. Although, I'd never have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself."
"I'm still not convinced I didn't dream it. It's so out of character, it can't be real."
"You're ridiculous! Severus is a delight!"
"You're delusional! Merlins ba…baskets, Snape, a delight?"
"Merlin's baskets," Hermione snorted.
"Mum was about to hex me for cursing in front of a baby," Frank grumbled, eyeing his mother's wand warily.
Hermione stifled a giggle, keeping her thoughts to herself as she eyed her boyfriend. "Now. My grandparents, Elspbeth and Leonard." she nodded to them, noting the way Remus paled as if he'd forgotten where he was. "And my ah…original parents? Sarah and Richard."
Remus' horrified eyes travelled to the amused younger couple. "It's nice to meet you," Sarah offered. "You're not quite what I was expecting."
"I…I…ah…nice to meet you too?"
"You don't sound sure," Richard replied, looking so entertained that Frank was struggling not to laugh.
"It's..this isn't quite…" he turned to Hermione, "You have too many relatives."
She dropped her head onto his shoulder; no one missed the way both Remus and Hermione immediately lost some of the tension they were holding. "I'd apologise but I wouldn't mean it," she murmured, sinking further into him when he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, one of her fingers finding its way into her other self's tiny fist.
"I'll be organising that wedding soon before that baby is theirs," Augusta muttered quietly, making Algie and Hector turn sharply to look at her in horror.
"How do you feel when you hold her?" Frank asked curiously.
"Hermione?" Remus frowned, "Calm…whole."
"Sickening though that was, no. Beatrice."
Remus stilled clearly contemplating that. "I…she's…mine but not." he settled on.
"Yours?" Richard demanded.
Remus looked like a deer in headlights as his head snapped up to look at the younger of his girlfriends fathers, clearly unsure how to answer that, "They know," Hermione muttered.
"They do?" he checked, sounding panicked again.
"Yes. Now explain."
He groaned, tugging Hermione closer, allowing her nearness to soothe him. "I…wolves have packs." he settled on. "My friends became animagi for me, therefore they are pack. When James married Lily, she became pack too. It means…it means there's a connection. I can sense them, I know if they're in trouble. It's stronger with Hermione. And Beatrice. Beatirce feels like pack. She doesn't feel anything like Hermione, thank all the gods, but there's a link. It's stronger than all the others but much less strong than Hermione."
"Can you feel us?" Frank checked looking fascinated.
"Yes," Remus admitted sheepishly, "You and Alice." he grimaced, "Severus. Moony has accepted him because of Hermione; he realises he falls firmly under her protection"
"Christ he'll hate that."
"I know!" Remus whined, "Which is why we're not mentioning it."
"And us lad?" Alastor checked.
"Algie," he admitted. "He's Hermione's father. And there's an awareness of you and Lord and Lady Longbottom, but it's less pronounced."
"You really need to write a book," Hermione grumbled.
"Ah, no thank you."
"Remus!" she whined, "Think about what the knowledge could do to counteract some of the prejudice."
"Or it could put a target on my back. It could put a target on yours." he returned hotly.
"So wait until after we've overturned some of the Pink Toad's heinous laws and then do it!"
His eyes flashed at her tone as he stared her down, "I will not put you at risk!" he growled.
Her eyes narrowed, "I'll write the bloody book then! Or you write it and use a fake name!"
"You will not!"
The room winced collectively as Hermione's face became pinched. "Are you going to stop me?"
Remus froze, clearly realising his error. "Why are you so averse to being safe!" he pleaded, changing tact.
"I would love nothing more than to be safe!" she countered, "But funnily enough my soulmates a bloody werewolf in a world that's prejudiced and wand happy. You won't be safe, and therefore I won't be safe until we fix it."
He gave a groan of utter defeat, falling silent as he tried to come up with a counter argument. Taking his chance, Richard voiced hesitantly, "What is the pink toad? Do you lot have amphibians making decisions in your world? Is that a thing?"
Hermione snorted before she giggled, clapping a hand over her mouth, all of the emotions she'd shoved down coming back full force in the form of hysteria. Remus' head turned to her sharply along with everyone else in the room. Clearly making a decision, Remus manoeuvred Beatrice into a startled Algie's arms before tugging Hermione onto his lap, tucking her head under his chin, letting her laugh until it turned to tears as he ignored everyone else, rocking her, crooning nonsense in a soft, soothing voice until she was calm again.
"My goodness," Sarah breathed softly into the resulting silence. "I think I understand why you all approve."
Remus flushed but said nothing as Frank spluttered that he didn't approve, making the rest of them laugh.
"Better?" he murmured too quietly for the rest to hear.
"I don't know," Hermione admitted. "It's all surreal."
He hummed, dropping a kiss onto her curls, "I love you, we'll figure it out."
"I love you too," she sighed, "Which is probably just as well because I'm pretty sure Aunt Augusta's just begun planning our wedding."
He gave a quiet choked huff of laughter, "I heard her, yes," he agreed, continuing quietly, "I quite like winter weddings."