Chapter 4 : Sirius's Wise Words

Hermione's eyes snapped open. She was lying in the hospital wing. Her friends, sporting a sullen look, were gathered around her bed. Harry and Ron were also there, looking as if they were at a funeral.

"Hermione!" Luna exclaimed, having noticed her first. "How are you feeling?"

She was feeling groggy. It was as though her memory was on fast forward. The Marriage Law..the Sorting Hat..and the pairings..

"Malfoy!" She sat up suddenly, drawing gasps from everyone. "Tell me it was just a dream."

No one said anything. They just looked at each other with a clearly uncomfortable expression. The horrible truth sank into Hermione like a stone. It wasn't just a dream after all.

"Where are you going?" Ginny inquired in panic as Hermione suddenly tossed the blanket away and made a move to get out of the bed.

"To the Ministry." She growled in response, searching frantically for her wand. "I'm going to meet Kingsley and Avada Kedavra him myself!"

Ron chuckled ("Hermione is never one to disappoint.") while the rest instantly rushed forward to restrain her. With the combined effort of Harry and Neville, they managed to stop her from leaving the bed. Hermione huffed and crossed her arms with a murderous glare.

"Calm down." Harry said carefully. "There is no use. We talked to Dumbledore earlier and he told us that Kingsley is actually opposing the idea as much as we do."

"Yeah, it's the bloody Wizengamot this time." Ginny added with a look of pure distaste.

"I can still help you to take care of the Aurors though."

"Ron!" Harry and Ginny shouted in unison. Realising this, the two looked at each other briefly before removing their eyes away quickly. It didn't went unnoticed by Ron and with a scowl, he straightened himself up and inched closer from where he had been standing.

"Don't you see? The law is tearing us apart." He stated with a frown. "Hermione and I, Ginny and Harry, Neville and Hannah and much more."

"Ginny and I will never work out anyway." Harry muttered quietly under his breath.

Ron apparently did not heard him. "They are suppose to rebuild the Ministry for the better, not coming up with a stupid marriage law. We did not fight in the war just to receive this in return!"

"What do you suggest then, Ron?" Ginny rolled her eyes. " Vouch our War Heroes tittle? Start revolting against the Ministry of Magic?"

"Well, there's the problem. I haven't thought that far yet." Ron gave a guilty smile as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. Hermione groaned loudly and buried herself under the blanket while Harry did a major facepalm.

"Just beware of the Heliopath though." Luna advised dreamily while tracing random patterns on the white linen sheets. By now, they knew better than to argue with Luna so they just gave a tight smile and pretended they never heard that.

"Kingsley should really do something though. He's the bloody Minister for Merlin's sake!" Hermione whined from under the cover. "I mean, at least change the pairings! It would be a miracle if I don't get killed by the end of this week."

"It would be a miracle if Malfoy do not get killed by the end of this week." Neville corrected while smiling.

"You are the Brightest Witch of Our Age after all."

"Tough luck."

"Right. Harry, tell my mum and dad that I love them."

"What for?" Harry gave a quizzical look at her.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Murdering Malfoy is sure to land me a lifetime in Azkaban, you git."

"Not if you make a run for it like Sirius." Ron commented while tapping his chin thoughtfully. Harry suddenly jumped from his seat in alarm, eyes widening in realisation. He gripped Ron's arm and turned the latter to face him. One look at Hermione's face told Harry that the witch had caught on relatively fast. "What?" Ron questioned, looking from one to the other.

"The law applies to all between the age of 17 and 40." Harry said.

"Yeah.." Ron said slowly.

"And Sirius is 38 years old." Hermione resumed.

"So?"

"Oh, Ron, wake up!" Hermione snapped. "This law is affecting Sirius as well."

Ron formed an 'O' with his mouth when the realisation dawned upon him.

"I should talk to him." Harry said while pacing around. "I'm pretty sure he is not happy with this and I have something to ask him too." He added the few last words in a low voice.

"I know someone who will be happy with this law." Ron scowled. "That is, if she's still alive. Bellatrix Lestrange would surely be matched with Voldermort himself. Those two are like match made in heaven."

"Gross." Hermione commented before looking around. "Where's Fred and George anyway?"

"In class of course." Ginny was the one who answered.

Shooting up from the bed in a flash, Hermione looked hysterical for a moment. Within second, she was out of the bed and frantically tried to find her shoes and wand.

"Why - in - the - hell - we - are - still - here?" She hissed when she finally got a hold of her wand. Dragging Ron and Harry by their arms, she hastily dismissed Madam Pomfrey on the way out. In her rush to get to class, she bumped into someone just as she attempted to enter the classroom.

"Watch it, Granger."

Hermione's first instinct was to groan loudly at her bad luck. She looked up and met the cold stare of the taller male.

"If you're done staring, I will have you know that this class just ended seconds ago." He said in a monotone. "It's time for the new class."

"New class?" Hermione repeated in confusion.

"Damn it." Ron instantly frowned. "I was hoping to skip that one."

"Why did you have to wake up so soon, Hermione?" Harry grumbled while pulling Hermione to the direction of the new class. All of the seventh years were already lining up outside of the classroom when they arrived. They quickly settled behind Dean and Seamus before Hermione turned to look at the other two with hands on her hips.

"Care to explain?"

"It's the Family Dynamics class." Ginny explained since Harry and Ron were too busy debating on using the Skiving Snackbox. "It's supposed to help us cope with the marriage and all."

Hermione was about to reply when Professor McGonagall appeared and allowed them to come in. Much to their dislike, they were specifically instructed to sit with their partners and chose one of the many single tables. With the exception of very few couples, everyone was pretty much glowering by the time they were seated next to their partners. Hermione especially, took an extreme measure of distancing herself from her own partner. The other obviously noticed this but said nothing in return and just continued staring out of the window.

"Welcome, welcome." Professor Flitwick greeted excitedly as he stepped into the classroom and proceed to stand on the pile of books. "Ah, I see that all of you have been seated accordingly." He looked hesitant as he said this, scanning the room with brows knitted together. It was rather understandable considering the many unlikely couples.

"No shit." George said sarcastically with a sneer.

"Anyway, we will start with something very simple today." Professor Flitwick announced. "Since it is your first lesson and I know most of you still haven't fully recovered from the shock yet, you are simply require to take turns and ask five questions to each other in order to give you a slight idea about your future spouse. Be as truthful as possible and be respectful to each other. You may begin now."

From a few tables away, Hermione heard Fred whispering to the person next to his table. "This is mental."

"You're telling me." There was no mistaking Ron's grumpy response. Hermione sneaked a glance at the redhead and saw him having a glaring match with his own partner. Sighing, she returned to her own partner and swallowed painfully.

"Let's just get this over with in peace." She began awkwardly. "Do you want to go first?"

Draco Malfoy finally looked at her properly, his cold eyes unblinking. He didn't said anything but let his eyes boring into her brown one. Eventually, he shifted his eyes and shook his head. "Go ahead."

Nodding more to herself, Hermione took a couple of deep breath. "Right then. What is your favorite subject?"

"Potions. Yours?"

"Arithmancy. Favorite color?"

"Sky blue. You?"

"Green." He raised a brow but remained silence. "What's your favorite pastime?"

"Reading. Yes, reading, Granger." He confirmed when he received the sceptical eyes from Hermione.

Hermione shrugged. "Never thought you to be the bookworm type."

"Looks can be very deceiving I assure you." His eyes tinted slightly darker and Hermione instantly faked an uncomfortable cough. "Do you prefer night or day?" He continued as if nothing happened.

"Day." Hermione answered a little bit too quickly.

"Why?" He inquired interestingly, noticing the rushed answer as well.

"My turn." Hermione cut off. "What is your greatest regret and why?"

He didn't answered right away. He spent a few good seconds staring at her instead as if reminiscing something. Hermione quirked her brows inquiringly, unaware of the inner battle in the male's mind.

"..not stopping her." He finally muttered quietly. It was barely above a whisper that Hermione had to strain her ears to hear. "Nobody deserve that even if it's you."

"Oh."

Hermione gnawed on her lips awkwardly. She was clueless on how to respond to that. Hearing his confession about that fateful day was certainly not what she expected to hear any sooner. Ever if she was to be honest. It was just not something that you can easily expect to hear from the very person that had spent the last seven years tormenting you after all.

"What is your best memory yet?"

"Huh?"

"I still have two questions to go, Granger." He simply stated as if he did not just confessed what Hermione thought should be his deepest secret.

"Oh, right." She replied hastily. She furrowed her brows in concentration and smirked when she suddenly came up with the most perfect answer. "Slapping you in our third year."

Instead of being offended, he suddenly curled his lips into the tiniest hint of a smile. "You can pack a fair punch, I'll give you that."

"Why, thank you." Hermione replied mockingly while flipping her hair. "Last one, mum or dad?"

"Father." He responded in a heartbeat, surprising the witch slightly. She was expecting for him to answer the other way around for sure. "He's a very decent man once striped off all of the pretense, Granger."

Hermione mustered her most unconvinced look.

"Expelliarmus!" The sudden cry of incantation took the whole class by surprise as they whipped their heads around and tried to locate the source. They finally found Ron doubled over on the floor, his wand pointed at Pansy with a deathly glare. Pansy was also directing her wand at the male, the spell missing her by an inch. Her face was red with anger and her chest heaved with the tornado of fury swirling inside her.

"Do not challenge me, Weasley!" She spat furiously.

"Miss Parkinson! Mister Weasley!" Professor Flitwick shrieked and nearly toppled out of sight as he tried to rush to the couple hurriedly. "Calm down and please lower your wands. There is no need for such hostility."

But the two didn't moved an inch and continued to narrow their eyes in each other's direction instead. Ron had managed to get to his feet and he was towering over the smaller female. Professor Flitwick was walking as fast as he can to them though he appeared quite hesitant to cast a spell on any of them. Out of nowhere, their wands suddenly flew out of their hands and Hermione watched as it flew right past her to the waiting hand of none other than Draco Malfoy.

"Last question, Granger." He said casually while twirling the wands in his hand. "How many kids do you want?"

Hermione was instantly convinced she will never figure out which one surprised her the most. The sudden act or the last question.

"I hope the Wizengamot burn in hell!" Ron snapped angrily as they made their way back to the portrait of the Fat Lady. The latter had been cursing every single existence of the members of the Wizengamot non-stop since they were released from the torturous first lesson of their Family Dynamics class. Hermione had long given up on telling him off for the long list of offensive terms while Harry simply looked highly amused.

"Wanglewort."

"Correct." The Fat Lady said and her portrait swung open towards them like a door. The Gryffindor common room was loud as usual and brimming with conversation between the younger students. Harry instantly headed straight to the fireplace, where he took out a small pouch from his pocket.

"Where did you even get that?" Hermione questioned suspiciously as she peered at the small pouch. "Tell me you didn't steal it."

Harry rolled his eyes."Hermione, it's just two Sickles a scoop. I can buy as much as I want and take a dive into it."

"Yes but-"

"Sirius gave it to me, okay? In case we need to talk to him." Harry finally relented. "I broke the mirror so it's not exactly practical if we want to have a proper conversation with him."

"Fine."

Harry threw a pinch of the Floo powder into the grate, causing emerald flames to burst into life there. The younger students watched in amazement though the Golden Trio paid no heed to it. They no longer had anything to be scared of since Harry had made sure to clear Sirius of all charges after the war.

"So?" Ron asked impatiently as Harry suddenly pulled out of the fire.

Harry coughed, having accidentally inhaled some of the ash. "He's coming in a few minutes. Tonks said he's currently feeding Buckbeak."

"I still think we should have given Buckbeak to Hagrid back." Hermione commented in disapproval. "Animals are supposed to be in their natural habitats."

"Thinking of joining animal rights activists now, are you?"

"Shut up, Ron."

But Sirius's head was already sitting in the fire by that time and Harry quickly scrambled to crouch down by the hearth. "Sirius, how are you?"

"Never mind me." The older wizard said dismissively. "How are you feeling?"

"Dying." Harry deadpanned.

"Can't say I didn't expect that." Sirius chuckled. "Find out the pairings yet?"

Harry nodded sullenly and began listing the many strange pairings. Undoubtedly, Sirius had a look of mild amusement with deeply furrowed brows when Harry was finished.

"This is like a recipe for disaster." He commented thoughtfully.

"Exactly but we'll get to that in a minute. I have more pressing issue to ask you about." Harry took a quick glimpse behind his back, making sure Hermione and Ron were still deeply engaged in their long battle of words with each other.

"What?"

"You have mentioned before that Wilkes and Rosier were killed by Aurors during the first war?" Harry replied in a hushed voice.

"I did."

"Does Rosier has a direct descendant or immediate family?"

"I have no idea, Harry." Sirius said. "Why?"

"Because there is a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher with the same name." Harry revealed.

"So, you're saying he's a Death Eater?" Sirius said slowly.

"I don't know but there is just something wrong with him the moment I set my eyes on him and I'm kind of been having this weird dreams this lately too. Not to mention, I just feel edgy and unsettled. Besides, we know that wizards with the same name are usually related in someway or another."

"You're right. I'll check if he is somewhere on the tapestry-"

But Sirius never got to finish his words as Hermione had finally took a notice of him and Harry immediately gave a silence warning as in not to say a thing yet. He was feeling rather hesitant to say anything about it to Hermione in order not to burden the poor witch any further especially with the ongoing Marriage Law and it was just a mere suspicion after all. Thankfully, Sirius instantly got the message and smoothly switched the topic to the Marriage Law instead. When they were finally about to retreat to bed that night, Sirius gave one last look full of meaning at Harry and muttered with a smile.

"What's life without a little risk, Harry."