Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I write for entertainment purposes only, not for pay.
Author's Note: All right, y'all, it's the long-awaited meeting between the newly resurrected Sirius and his godson! I won't make this long, but if you like this chapter, please leave me a little review with your thoughts, questions, even constructive criticisms. And just so you know, this story is plotted out to run through June of Hermione's sixth year. I've already got an outline for the remainder of this story and will work towards regular updates so you can see how this plays out. Following the end of this story, I've got one final story planned in this series to wrap things up, so that's next on my list of things to plot out! Hope you're enjoying so far, and here's to today's reunion!
The Second Sixth Year of Sirius Black: Chapter Six
By: Rae
-A "Harry Potter" Fic-
Hermione reached out to open the door and heard rather than saw Sirius shuffle to the side of the door, slightly out of view. She braced herself and twisted the door knob.
Pulling the door open, she heard Remus saying, "Yes, they're coming. They just had to get their bearings after apparating in with me." He paused when the door opened.
She pushed the door open enough to stand in the entryway.
"Hermione!" Harry and Ron both shouted her name excitedly and stood to throng her.
She quickly put her hands up to stop them, even as several others in the room also greeted her. "Wait," she said. "I've brought a guest."
"The secrecy is driving me nuts," Fleur complained aloud to no one in particular. "Who is this secret person we've been hearing about? First Dumbledore, then Remus, and now you."
"I won't keep you waiting," she said and moved to step aside, already hearing Sirius moving behind her. "Here he is."
First a crutch came into view, and then Sirius was standing next to her just past the threshold. Molly Weasley screamed and dropped her cup of tea, shattering it. Hermione winced at the noise.
Instantly the room was filled with shouts of mixed horror, fear, and delight.
"What on earth-?"
"Sirius Black!"
"How can this be possible?"
"It's a ghost!"
"A ghost can't use crutches, you numbskull!" Fred—or George, she could never tell—punctuated this comment by smacking Ron in the back of the head for his ghost remark.
Hermione spared a glance for the aggrieved Ron, who was massaging his sore head, but her eyes picked Harry out of the crowd, one of the only ones who'd remained silent.
His eyes were fastened on Sirius, filled with a combination of hope and despair. Hermione could easily see the disappointment warring with belief that his godfather was there. The room had quieted down, due mainly to Remus and Dumbledore, but Hermione only had eyes for her friend, and she whispered for him only, "He's really here, Harry."
Sirius, breaking out of his own kind of trance at her words, looked at Harry as well and said, "I'm alive, Harry."
His voice seemed to break something in Harry, and tears pooled in his eyes as he launched himself from the couch where he was seated between Ginny and Ron. He flew across the room and landed on Sirius, nearly knocking him off his crutches. Hermione reached out to steady him, and she could sense Sirius's relief at getting through this tense moment.
Harry gripped Sirius as though his very life depended on it. Moments later Hermione found herself thronged by a horde of Weasleys, followed by one half-giant and his booming voice of excitement. Molly reached her first and threw her arms around her, tears in her eyes, speaking incoherently about not understanding what was going on but being so proud of her.
Then Ron and Ginny managed to push Molly away, and they, too, were hugging her. Their voices were lost in the uproar of other voices, though, and Hermione let them drift away, content to be with her friends and next to Sirius.
She hugged more of the Weasleys, Tonks, even Fleur, who seemed less than impressed, and managed to stay planted next to the one Marauder who needed her as much as she needed him. Then Molly Weasley was back again with Arthur in tow, tugging at Hermione as she watched Harry and Sirius, still standing together as others pressed in to touch and hug the resurrected man.
"Come along, dear," Molly said. She gripped Hermione's upper arm and began to tug her more firmly. "You can sit over here with Ron and Ginny. I'm sure Sirius is feeling crowded as it is, and…"
Hermione couldn't hear Molly's voice anymore. Her vision was swimming, and she could hear a great buzzing in her ears. Her mouth went dry, and she knew she needed to do something very badly. She blinked rapidly to clear her head and had a moment's clarity.
Yanking her arm abruptly away from Molly, she practically raced back to Sirius, who seemed to be experiencing the same ill effects. Bill was holding him by the shoulders and practically shouting in his face to get his attention.
"Sirius? Sirius!" Bill yelled, shaking him.
"Move!" Hermione shoved Bill hard, causing him to grunt, but she didn't care. She didn't hear the outraged voices of Fleur or Molly either as she wrapped her arms around Sirius securely.
"Well, I never!" Molly's insistent tones rang out in the room, but Hermione was too busy holding Sirius and rubbing his back to notice. She felt him come back to himself even as his own arms wrapped around her, a little tremblingly at first.
The two stood together, taking comfort in the contact and allowing their breathing to regulate even as Hermione heard Dumbledore step in to take charge.
"Molly, please, sit. I believe an explanation is in order," he said.
Hermione tuned him out as she was too preoccupied to care how he explained it. She was feeling much better now and chanced a glance at Harry, who was still standing next to Sirius. He looked shell-shocked and glanced at her askance. She gave him a weak but reassuring smile.
"Is he okay?" Harry whispered to her.
"Yes," Hermione told him. She could feel Sirius responding to the contact and knew he would be fine. "We just have to stay very close to each other right now because we're connected by a magical bond."
Harry studied her thoughtfully and then asked her, "Hermione, what did you do?"
She was dreading this question. She'd done so many dangerous things with Harry that it had become second nature to her. But to do them on her own without the safety net of her two best friends was something Harry wouldn't easily forgive.
"I've been working on this all semester, Harry," she said, deciding to be as delicate as possible. "I wanted to bring him back to you, and I did."
"Harry," Sirius now whispered, "don't be mad at Hermione. She found an opportunity to try something no one's ever done, and she succeeded. She really is the smartest witch of her age."
The three looked at each other, and at that moment yet another explosion of noise reminded Hermione they weren't alone.
"How dare you allow her to perform that charm in your school!" Molly was practically screeching. "She's just a child, for Merlin's sake, and she was able to perform this level of dangerous magic all willy-nilly in the halls of Hogwarts!"
"Technically she performed it in the girls' bathroom, Molly," Remus cut in dryly. He winked at Hermione, and she caught Harry's eye, who smirked at her.
"Where she did it doesn't matter," Molly shouted. "The fact that she got her hands on this kind of magic in the first place puts her in extreme danger!" Locking her gaze on Sirius, she pointed and said, "This is your fault for not separating out all the dark magic books you keep in that family library! How could you be so irresponsible?!"
Sirius stepped away from Hermione's touch a moment and leveled a calm but stern gaze at Molly. "If I hadn't left that volume in my library, Molly, I wouldn't be standing here today to even argue about it." He glared at her and added, "I will not apologize for something that has given me a second chance at life. Would you rather I be dead and gone still?"
Molly's eyes flared up at his comments but Arthur put a hand on his wife's shoulder. "I don't think Molly wishes you dead, Sirius," Arthur said diplomatically. "We're all thrilled to see you again, but I do think she has a point about the kind of magic Hermione performed. Considering it put you both in the Hospital Wing and has caused this magical bond to develop between you, I'm surprised you aren't more upset with her, too."
Hermione's jaw dropped. Arthur had never been stern with her before. He was always the level-headed Weasley parent with a good-natured smile and a kind remark. But now he stood criticizing her for her decision to try to make some good come out of her discovery.
Arthur continued, "The truth is that Hermione is still underaged, and she should not have access to books like that. While I agree that she's a very intelligent witch, I don't think that gives her any special privilege to be trying her hand at such advanced magic that doesn't even exist yet. What might have happened if she'd failed?"
"I would have died," she interjected, bringing his gaze to her now. Hermione stood with her hands planted on her hips. "I understood exactly what the stakes were when I set out to try this magic. I read the entire book. I studied other books. I got advice from teachers and experts. I sought as much information as I could find, but I still didn't have enough information to be positive the incantation and potion would be a success."
She glared around the room, settling her gaze on Molly. "I spent months on this. I kept it a secret from my friends and everyone else because it was my choice. It could have very well killed me, and it almost did. I lost more blood than I expected to, but I also brought a healing draught with me for that very purpose. I wanted to bring Sirius back for Harry more than anything in the world, and I did it."
Really getting into her stride now, she added, "And rather than congratulate me and welcome Sirius back, you're going to lecture me? You're going to tell me what I shouldn't have done? Well, here's the truth: it's over and done with, Sirius is here, and I don't need you to tell me I'm too young to consider the consequences. I considered it all!"
Sirius put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her in close. Hermione huffed from anger and frustration, furious with Molly and Arthur and every other adult who had challenged her intelligence because she was a "child." She leaned into his embrace but still glared at the room at large.
"I'm very proud of you, Hermione," came Kingsley Shacklebolt's voice from the back of the room. She hadn't noticed him sitting there next to Tonks and Bill. "I've never seen such a young witch do such extraordinary magic, and having Sirius back will benefit the Order in many ways. But I think you misunderstand what Molly and Arthur are trying to say."
His deep voice was modulated to a pitch that began soothing her frazzled nerves, and Kingsley explained, "Molly and Arthur are so relieved you're all right that they channeled it into anger at you. Relief is one of those emotions that often gets tangled with our 'what-ifs' and comes out like anger. They just want to make sure you understand how serious this was, and it sounds like you do."
Arthur was nodding, his eyes shining. Molly's eyes filled with unshed tears, and she walked over to Hermione. She looked her in the eyes and held her arms out to the younger witch, perhaps the closest thing to an apology Hermione would get. She took it. Shrugging off Sirius's arm, she accepted Molly's hug.
"Now if we can all calm down for a bit," Dumbledore said, "I believe we have a bit of a meeting to attend to before we celebrate the beginning of a new year."
Molly stepped back and turned around swiftly, demeanor instantly shifting. "Right, you lot," she said briskly, scrubbing away her tears quickly, "you'll have to go upstairs while we talk." She eyed each of the non-Order members individually and gestured toward the stairs. "And no trying to eavesdrop," she added sternly to Fred and George, who had twin expressions of intrigue on their faces. "I'm warding the doors, and I'll make sure you never see another joke shop again if you try anything."
Grumbling good naturedly, the twins led the movement to the stairs. Some of the adults milled about, heading to the kitchen for more coffee or discussing Sirius's return. Hermione and Sirius still stood in the doorway where they'd arrived, and Harry began to follow the crowd to the stairs.
"I'm afraid, Sirius," Dumbledore was now saying as he came over, "that you'll need to go along with the others up the stairs. We can't allow Hermione to stay down here and be part of the meeting, but I can promise you that Remus will be able to fill you in later."
Hermione knew Dumbledore was trying to appease the Marauder who had just rejoined the land of the living, but Sirius glared in frustration. To have been kept cooped up in his home for a year and now to not even be part of Order meetings must truly chafe. She felt for him but knew she couldn't do anything to help.
Sirius didn't say anything but began using his crutches to maneuver through the room to the stairs. Hermione stayed a step behind him. No one tried to stop him or speak to him, but she saw the stares and heard the whispers as they left the room.
They made it to the stairs, and Sirius paused, unsure how to manage them. He looked at them uncertainly, and Hermione wondered if he was avoiding her gaze. They'd managed with Remus's help at Hogwarts, but that was mainly because Remus insisted Sirius use the magicked wheel chair that could easily navigate the winding, moving staircases.
"Not to worry, Sirius," came one of the twins' voices. Hermione looked up and saw George and Fred descending the stairs together. "Hermione can follow you up, and we'll get you up the stairs."
Sirius nodded curtly as Molly Weasley was now coming down the hall to lay out her anti-eavesdropping wards. Fred and George stood on either side of him, and Sirius wrapped his arms around the twins' shoulders. They in turn wrapped their arms around his torso. As they took their first step up, the twins turned to look at Hermione over Sirius's shoulders.
"It's perfectly fine, Hermione," Fred said with a grin. "Just keep up with us."
"But don't stay too close," George continued, "in case we drop him!"
They cackled and began to haul the Marauder up the stairs. Hermione followed closely, but not too closely for her own safety. They got to the top of the steps, and Sirius resumed the use of his crutches to follow the twins to their bedroom where Harry, Ron, and Ginny were already congregating.
The others had cleared a space on one of the beds for Hermione and Sirius to sit, and so they plopped down between Harry and Ron. Ginny and the twins took the other bed.
Hermione got settled into the bed, leaning slightly against Sirius, and she saw the twins looking at her skeptically.
"So, Hermione," George said, "spill."
"Yes," Fred agreed. "Tell us everything."
"Like where on earth you found a portrait of Sirius Black in Hogwarts," George added.
"And how you found this book that gave a way to bring a person back to life using his portrait," said Fred.
Hermione sighed. She'd been expecting this and knew it would come eventually, but she didn't even know how to explain everything that had been happening over the last several months.
She thought about their questions and smiled. Maybe there was an easy starting point.
"Phineas Nigellus told me there was a portrait of Sirius made when he was younger," she began. Their eyes widened. "But that wasn't till after I found the book while I was staying at Grimmauld Place over the summer."
Harry chimed in now, "Is that why you were too busy to come hang out with us and go to Hogwarts to play Quidditch?"
Hermione grinned and said, "Yes. I started reading a bunch of classics that Sirius bought for me, and one of those was called The Picture of Dorian Gray. I read the whole thing, and it sounded too close to being a wizard's tale for me to believe it was written by a Muggle, so I did some research." The boys groaned. "Yes, at the library," she retorted. "And I found out that the author wasn't a Muggle. He was a Squib who wrote down the story of another wizard who told him what happened when he tried bringing portraits back to life."
"So this wizard just decided to write down his story and share how to bring portraits back to life?" Ginny asked. "Did he actually manage to bring someone back to life?"
"No, he didn't," Hermione admitted. "He came really close, but something was always missing. He'd bring his wife back to life in some ghostlike form, but she screamed at him to leave her alone and just kind of disappeared."
"Then how did you know you could do it, Hermione?" Ron asked, looking at her quizzically.
She glanced to Sirius and Harry to gauge their reactions before answering him. "I didn't," she said.
"You heard her in there, dimwit," George said to his brother. "She knew she could die from this."
She sighed and looked at Sirius, knowing she'd probably tell her best friends everything anyway. "I had the diary and was able to read all the research and experiments Lord Henry did, but I figured out that he missed a few things. So I tweaked it to fit what I thought should work, and it did."
"But what kinds of things was it missing?" Harry asked her curiously.
"Blood," she answered simply.
"And lots of it," Sirius added, speaking for the first time since they came upstairs. "Hermione almost killed herself to bring me back. But she planned ahead and had some blood healing draughts with her for both of us."
"You mean the ones we made?" Harry asked her suspiciously now. "I wondered about that when you stashed them away for later."
She blushed and nodded. "I knew I'd probably need it for the charm and potion I was using," she admitted. "I'm just lucky it was Professor Snape who found us. He knew exactly what the potion was and how important it was."
"How did anyone find you anyway?" George now asked. "You did this in the girl's bathroom in the middle of Christmas break. Who on earth would be around at that time of night to find you?"
"Myrtle was with me the whole time," Hermione said simply. "When the potion worked and Sirius was alive again, I knew I didn't have much time before we were both in danger of dying. So I sent her to get the closest professor for help."
"Good old Myrtle," Ron mused, shaking his head. "Always there when you don't want her, but at least she has her uses."
Hermione glared at Ron. "Without her, we'd both be dead, Ronald," she retorted. "And I promised her you and Harry would love to come visit her a few times next term. So no making fun of her!"
Ron grumbled good naturedly, but Harry said, "I want to see her. She helped save both your lives."
Hermione smiled gratefully at her best friend and noticed he was looking at her somewhat differently. His eyes regarded her thoughtfully, and he seemed deep in thought.
"All right, Hermione, we won't pester you forever," Fred now said, grinning at her from his place next to George. "But just one more question."
George grinned at her now with a sparkle in his eyes. "Just how intimate did you need to be with Sirius in order to bring him back?"
Hermione's cheeks flushed as Sirius burst into barking laughter. Harry and Ron sat sputtering on either side of the two.
"We did nothing inappropriate," she tried to argue, but Sirius threw an arm around her shoulders sloppily and leaned in to kiss her hair.
"Jealous the older man gets the hot young witch?" He asked, smirking at the twins, who now sported amused looks. "Don't worry boys, you'll have your chance someday. Just don't drop dead to do it."
"Hermione," Ron's voice was urgent and he shook her shoulder slightly. "Hermione, what does that mean? Surely you didn't—you couldn't—I mean, he was a portrait!" His voice cracked slightly on that last statement, and Hermione started laughing now.
"No, Ronald," she told him. "We didn't, and we couldn't. And there's no chance of us doing anything right now anyway. Sirius isn't strong enough after all." She smirked as the grin was wiped right off the older man's face.
Before Sirius could retort, they heard Molly calling up for them. The meeting was over, and it was time for Hermione and Sirius to go back to Hogwarts with Remus.