The Calm Before the Storm
There's always calm before the storm
Monday the 3rd of March 1975
Her head hurt, aching as a yawn left her mouth and shook through her whole body.
The daily nightmares and minimum of sleep was, for lack of a better word, tiring. Hermione spent her nights awake after her terror, the images burned into the sockets of her eyes and twisting to incorporate her present friends and family until the idea of sleep became something she spent her time cringing over and avoiding as much as she could.
She was lucky her memory of her previous lessons seemed ingrained into every bone of her body or she would be worried that her education was going down the drain.
"I bet she's jealous." Hermione jumped as she turned to see Marlene walking beside her, she had barely even registered the past hour she had spent in Transfiguration, barely recalling what had just happened or what Marlene was talking. “McGonagall that is.” She added when Hermione looked at her blankly.
Hermione frowned as she thought back to the slightly snappish tone her teacher had used with her during the end of the lesson, something to do with paying attention when she was in class. "Why would she be jealous?" She was genuinely curious but Marlene seemed to find it amusing, looping her arm through Hermione’s and pulling along.
“She clearly has a little crush on our very own Sirius Black, unless I’m mistaken and she just lets anyone flirt with her – I bet she’s jealous because Sirius is far more interested in you.” Marlene whispered loudly, winking when Hermione rolled her eyes and pursed her lips.
Hermione really doubted that McGonagall was harbouring some crush on Sirius at all, while yes he was attractive and was probably the only student who would even attempt to pull something like that off, but she doubted she would be brought into the equation if that was the case.
No, if anything, Professor McGonagall was slightly sour towards Hermione because she seemed both capable of not working and getting her work done and her answers right all at the same time. Of course this wasn’t Hermione’s fault but she couldn’t tell the teacher that.
Though she was aware that she could leave the arrogance and entitled answering somewhere else but it was just too easy and if she was being honest, slightly fun, to tease her professors. It was kind of fun to also not have to have her nose buried deep in a book and constantly trying to keep ahead of every class.
“- think about it, she always lets him and James get away with everything." Hermione tuned back into her friend, her eyes narrowed as Marlene glared at the boys ahead, talking together and seemingly unaware that they were the subject of the girls, if not slightly one sided, conversation.
“Ah yes, my sweet baby brother, talented and arrogant -”
“Don’t forget handsome.” Marlene mumbled under her breath as Hermione turned to look at her friend with raised eyebrows and an amused smirk on her face. “What? I can appreciate a fine piece of work.”
“And appreciate is all you do?” The pair turned to see Remus stood behind them, Peter walking by without another glance, a cheeky grin on his face and slightly fresh scars pulling at the corner of his face, but it was his eyes were what Hermione was focused on, lighter and happier than they had been when he was older. He offered her a softer smile before a sending a very Sirius-esque wink that she didn’t understand.
“Erm, what?”
“Ignore him, he clearly has no idea what he is talking about, like usual.” Marlene bit out as Hermione turned to frown at her best friend and Remus looked rather amused at the whole situation. Hermione tried to remember a time Marlene had been so cold to the boy but she was even struggling to remember if they had ever spent any time together without their shared friends.
“It looks like someone is having a bad day, I’m sorry Remus.” Hermione spoke softly but Remus just sent her another smile and walked on her other side, Marlene seething beside her and shooting glares to the taller boy. “So...do either of you have any plans for the next Hogsmeade trip, it has to go better than the last one?” Hermione winced as Remus’ face darkened and Marlene stumbled beside her.
“Are you asking me out?” Hermione felt her mouth fall open as Remus leaned closer to her and winked again, her face turning red as she leaned away from and pushed his shoulder.
“Of course not, you’ve been spending far too much time with Sirius.”
“Relax ‘Mi, I’m only joking.” He grinned down at her and threw an arm over her shoulder, leaving Hermione to feel like she was on some sort of wild broom ride. Was he always this up and down after the full moon or had the recent events and possible future events just sent him off in every which direction? “I’ll probably watch James make a fool of himself around Lily and Sirius hit on every girl that’s lonely.” He sighed and she rolled her eyes.
“You know you could try and get someone too.” Hermione suggested as she looked up at him, her eyes flickering to where his two best friends stood whispering about something, not noticing the people having to walk around them.
“Who do you think picks up the friends Sirius neglects?”
“That’s gross, see at least James doesn’t do that.” Marlene spoke suddenly, the pair turning to look at her, where she glared at someone with her icy eyes, a girl with auburn hair and emerald eyes behind them, more interest in her book than her gossiping friends, or maybe she hadn’t even noticed them. Old Hermione could relate to that part.
“James isn’t that innocent you know.” He looked as though he was speaking to Marlene but his eyes flicked to Hermione who scrunched up her nose and shook her head, she didn’t need to know what her brother got up to.
“I’m aware, but I’m referring to the part where he spends his days chasing around a girl who isn’t interested, I’m sure there are many other girls that would appreciate his time.” Hermione blinked and looked back at Lily, frowning at Marlene’s annoyance that seemed to have come out of nowhere and was now causing Remus to growl under his breath.
“Alright, what is happening here?” Hermione stopped, pulling herself to stand before the pair of them, narrowing her eyes and taking in Marlene’s annoyed expression and Remus’ slight smirk. “Do you two like each or something?”
“Fuck off, he wishes.”
“I'm pretty sure she prefers darker haired men." Remus whispered, raising an eyebrow at Marlene as though he was tempting her with something.
Marlene let out a shriek of anger that had people turning to look at them, their own eyes watching in surprise as Marlene threw Lily’s book at Remus and the werewolf laughed as he caught it. The redhead turned her eyes to Hermione, watching with rapid entertainment as Remus let out another laugh and took off down the halls.
"I swear to Merlin, I’m going to kill him." And then Marlene was off, pushing her between Sirius and James where they had been watching their friend run down the halls, their eyes turning to look back at Hermione and Lily.
"Am I missing something?" Hermione asked as her brother and his best friend moved to stand before her, their eyes going wide as they seemed to have some sort of silent conversation. James inclining his head towards Lily as she looked at every inch of her book to make sure it wasn’t damaged and Sirius smirking as though he thought the whole thing was hilarious.
“Well...bye.” James spoke first, turning and running away with Sirius chuckling beside him and leaving Hermione confused in the hallway.
"Oh looks like nobody can stand being around you Potter, I don't blame them, I'd leave too if I was your friend." Hermione gritted her teeth at the soft alluring voice of Emmeline Vance, she forced a smile on her face and turned to face the girl and her side kick Jenny.
"Hello Emmeline, how nice of you to try and fit your entire vocabulary into one sentence just for me.” Hermione smiled sweetly as she spoke, enjoying the way the girl seemed to turn red in the face and flicked her hair over shoulder and her eyes narrowed as she turned to glare at Lily where she stood chuckling under breath.
“Oh how nice, I forgot the two of you were friends again.” Emmeline bit out, a strained smile on her face as she raised an eyebrow. “Though I’d be careful if I were you, Evans, Potter’s real family has a habit of hating your kind – personally I wouldn’t want to get mixed up with the likes of her.” Lily blanched and her mouth opened but no words came.
“Go fuck yourself, Emmeline.”
...
Saturday the 29th of March 1975
Hermione should have known. Really it wasn’t like they hadn’t gone through this before, she had simply just hope that with Remus out sick during his actual birthday that James would take it as it was and leave it alone, instead he did what he would always do and threw a big party for himself and invited everyone he could think of to join them.
It also didn’t help that Gryffindor had just come off of it’s next big win against Hufflepuff and were now neck and neck with Ravenclaw for the cup. In all honesty, it had all just blown past Hermione’s head and now she was left wondering why Remus wasn’t her brother, and why they couldn’t just spend a nice night together opening present and joking about.
And yet here she was, helping decorate like she had done a million times before. Marlene had joined her, all dolled like they weren’t just in the Common Room. Hermione frowned as she looked down at her own outfit, the tight green turtleneck, high waisted corduroy skirt and just under knee high boots had looked very pretty when she put them on.
Marlene flicked her now chin length hair behind her ear, Hermione copied touching her own curly ponytail and frowned. “You know, this isn’t some fashion show, it’s just James’ birthday.”
“Never miss an opportunity to show off what you’ve got.” Hermione scrunched up her face as Marlene bit her lip and scanned the area, as though looking for something or someone before she turned back to Hermione. “Did we have to get James a gift?”
“You’ve known him, for what, nearly five years, and yet you ask this question every single time his birthday comes around.” Hermione pointed out as Marlene offered her an amused grin and shrugged her shoulders, leaving Hermione to shake her head. “He’ll be disappointed.”
“Actually I think he’ll be more than happy with what I’ve got him.”
Hermione didn’t bother reading into that, shaking her head as the boys came in from their journey, the three carrying a mixture of drinks and chatting among themselves, the rare sight of Peter following behind them, as a few lingering Gryffindors stood up and looked around, smiles on their faces and excitement in their eyes.
“I believe everything is in order, so let us begin the party!”
An hour later the party was in full swing, everyone from forth year up was invited, except the Slytherins and the common room was packed. Hermione watched with narrowed eyes, waiting for Edith to join them but the girl never did. Perhaps she wasn’t as welcome as she thought she was, or maybe she just didn’t like parties, if that was the case then Hermione didn’t blame her.
Her smile eased though as Lily joined, shoving a present into James’ arms and walking away to stand beside Hermione before he could say anything that would ruin the moment.
It was sweet how he watched her go with wide eyes and a lopsided grin, holding the present like it was his most prized possession and then he was turning to Marlene, the two talking with easy grins and almost whispering to one another. It was almost too close for comfort.
“What did you get him?” Hermione asked as she gripped her cup tighter, the liquid inside was not something she was interested in but this way people stopped trying to bring her drinks, Lily didn’t seem to have the same problem as she sipped her own and sent Hermione a smirk.
“Just some book on Quidditch.”
“How very thoughtful of you.” Hermione smiled back as Lily shrugged her shoulders and looked down at the ground, her cheeks turning a soft pink that had Hermione smirking to herself. “Did you want this?” She asked after a second, offering her drink to her friend who just raised her eyebrows.
“You don’t want it?” Lily asked, though she seemed confused, turning back to her own drink and jumping loudly as their was a loud yell from nearby. James was dancing to some song he loved on the table, arms going everywhere and happily being the centre of attention but it was Sirius Hermione’s eyes drifted to, talking lowly to some Hufflepuff girl, her cheeks redder than the whole common room and her eyes practically filled with hearts.
“On second thought.” Hermione mumbled out loud, bringing the cup to her lips and downing the thing in one before letting out a cough. She wasn’t much of a drinker, preferring to sip what she had and enjoy the feeling but her mind was begging her for some sort of release from having to see what was in front of her.
Stupid teenage hormones.
“There you go.” Lily said softly, patting her back.
Sirius moved closer to the girl, his hand resting on her waist as she giggled. Hermione sneered in disgust, clutching her cup in her hand and throwing at his head before she could stop herself, though rather amused when it ricocheted to hit Peter too, her eyes widened as her head dropped as Sirius looked around in shock.
“Oh wow, that I did not expect.” Lily chuckled as Sirius turned around in his spot, looking at everyone, like some sort of dog trying to find out who has the bone but at least the Hufflepuff was out of his focus for now. “Another drink?”
“Yeah.”
Another drink turned into five more and a blissful feeling that Hermione hadn’t had in a long time, sure she’d been drunk before but never on this level. She could see why people did it, the numbing of the mind and the happy feeling that took over, the need to just dance and be free around her friends and people she didn’t know.
Lily was just as energetic as her, the pair of them grinning as they held hands and danced in their own little corner, sipping on their drinks and laughing at nothing in particular. It made her feel normal again, to just be with her friend.
Everyone seemed to be having a good time, though there were some girls crying in the corner and her brother and Marlene were missing but that wasn’t important. Sirius had clearly given up on speaking to anyone and was now singing and playing air guitar to Led Zeppelin on the table alone and Remus…
“Lily, look!” Hermione whisper yelled, stumbling and grabbing onto her friends shoulder as she pointed out the werewolf where he currently had his tongue down someone’s throat and neither seemed to be complaining or coming up for air.
“Woah...do you...do you he’s a good kisser?” Lily slurred slightly, her eyes glazed as she stuck her tongue between her teeth and frowned slightly while Hermione nodded seriously. It was a very serious question and needed to be seriously considered.
“His lips are very soft...I...I...I enjoyed them but I don’t know the rest.” Hermione admitted as Lily let out a sigh and nodded her head before turning back to Hermione and grabbing her hands, leading her into some sort of circle dance that made the room spin ten times faster than it should and made Hermione’s stomach twist uncomfortably.
“Hello ladies.” They stopped and Hermione stumbled to the side, smiling when Sirius reached out to stop her though he didn’t seem that stable himself. “Fancy another/”
Hermione nodded and reached for his cup which was half finished, ignoring his cry that he was just going to get her one. Surely drinking more would make the whole world stop spinning, or perhaps it was just this tower, maybe it was an unknown feature, it didn’t matter, the alcohol would make everything feel better.
The drink itself was sweet and tangy, Hermione licked her lips as she grinned at Sirius, his face blurring at the edges. “I think...”
…
Hermione let out a groan as she came round.
Her head felt like she had a stampede of Hippogriffs living inside it, her whole mouth felt as dry as the sahara desert and attempting to open her eyes resulting in being blinded by the sun and feeling as though they were being stabbed by toothpicks.
No, she wanted to go back to sleep and swear off drinking ever again. It seemed though that someone else had plans, coughing just loud enough for her to hear and to open her eyes and take a look around. Her shoes were off as was one of her socks and she was apparently laid on the floor of the Gryffindor common room.
Remus was curled around a pillow on the single chair, snoring happily and there were a few stragglers littered around the room and Peter slumped on the stairs but it was Lily, who sat bright eyed, awake and blinking down at Hermione with a cup of tea in her hands that let her know who wanted her awake.
“Comfy?” She whispered and Hermione frowned in confusion, blinking as she noticed the arm resting on her hip and the body laid beside her. They weren’t spooning but it was clear some form of cuddling had happened.
Hermione’s eyes widened and her head disagreed with her sudden movement as she turned to see Sirius laid on part of his side, eyes closed and soft snores leaving his mouth. He didn’t seem to like her movement as he let out a groan and shifted slightly, trying to pull her back. Hermione felt her mouth fall open as she slipped away from him and half crawled to Lily.
“What…” Her voice rasped out and she let out a cough, reaching for Lily’s cup and downing it in one go before she tried again. “What happened?”
“One, that was mine and two; you honestly don’t remember?” Hermione shook her head as Lily let out a sigh and patted her friends shoulder. “I knew I shouldn’t have let you drink Sirius’ drink, I bet it’s pretty blank after that.” She chuckled to herself as Hermione frowned and tried to pull the memories back into her mind.
Hermione stumbled as she danced alone, waving her hands in the air and trying to recall the name of the song that was playing. She wanted her brother to dance with her but he seemed to have magically disappeared, her lips pouted out as she looked around.
There were barely any people around, most having gone to bed and a few others falling asleep where they fell. Remus was passed out and Lily was trying her best to make sure he was comfortable, so neither of them were able to dance with her.
“Can someone come dance with me?” Hermione whined,her eyes landing on McLaggen as he stared at her with an angry frown, turning away with a grimace and sticking out her tongue. “That requ- re – that was for friends.”
She moved away stumbling again and glaring down at the table as it dared to interfere with her feet. When did it even get there? Her hands reached out to touch the wood, reaching for the half full cup that stood on it with a grin. Why would someone leave their cup there?
“Ah ah ah, no more drinking for you.” Lily commanded and Hermione let her shoulders slump as she dropped the drink, watching it spill everywhere and ignoring Lily’s sigh, to dance again, though it was kind of sad now, side stepping alone while her friends were busy doing other things. This was supposed to be a party and yet it was over so soon and no one was drinking any more. “Sirius, could you please...Sirius!”
Hermione spun on one foot, letting out a cry of happiness when she mastered the move, her eyes finding Sirius as he danced towards her, eyes closed, one hand on his stomach another held up while his hips moved side to side. It was quite an impressive.
His eyes opened before her and he gripped her hand and gave her a grin, spinning her around and pulling him back into her arms as they went through what must be a very drunk looking tango but Hermione couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of her throat as he spun her around again.
She could hear Lily sighing and tapping her foot on the floor but she didn’t care, all she wanted was someone to dance with her and no one would. At least now she could dance with Sirius. “Thank you, Sirius.” Her words sounded slurred but she honestly meant them.
He smiled softly at her, a rare on instead a smirk, silver eyes twinkling brightly. She couldn’t help it when she leaned forward before he could speak or comment, pressing her lips hastily to his own and pulling back with her own grin, still dancing though it was slower now, side to side and an inch apart.
“Anytime.”
“Oh Merlin, please tell me that’s all that happened.” Hermione whispered out as Lily shrugged her shoulders.
“Pretty much, then you said you were tired and you needed a pillow, you both fell asleep pretty quickly after that.” Lily explained, patting her hand and gesturing to where Sirius laid, reaching out where she had laid, Hermione placed a pillow in his hand and couldn’t stop the smile that flickered onto her face as he hugged it tight to his chest.
“Any chance he won’t remember it, I mean it was barely a peck.”
“Come on, let’s get you some comfy clothes and shoes on and have breakfast, we can deal with the rest later.” Lily offered, not without sympathy and gesturing towards their own dorm where no doubt their housemates slept. Hermione nodded her head and let her friend pull her up before frowning around at the room.
“Why is my other sock on Remus’ arm?”
“He wanted to do a puppet show, it was quite entertaining.”
…
Somehow they had managed to avoid the boys all day. Hermione slipping into some old jumper from James and a pair of trackies she wasn’t sure who they came from. Lily had let everything be and had slipped into some equally comfy clothes, the pair shifting from the Great Hall, the dormitory, the Great Hall, outside for some much needed fresh air and then back to the common room with some food stolen from dinner.
Most students, the younger ones seemed to be enjoying the slight snow they had outside, while the older ones seemed to be sticking to having day long naps.
“So then I was thinking - “
“Hi.” Hermione jumped as Sirius slumped into the seat between her and Lily, the two girls curled up at the edges of the sofa with hot teas in their hands. The charming boy placing a pillow onto Hermione’s knees and laying down, Remus copying into the single sofa with a groan.
“Hello, what’s wrong with you?” Hermione asked, reaching down to running her fingers through the messy black waves and smiling at the narrowed silver eyes.
“Headache.”
“Nausea.”
“Seeing things I never want to see again.”
“Seconded.”
“Okay...well have you guys seen Marlene or James?” Hermione asked them both with a frown, her head scanning around to look for her brother...Merlin, she’d even ask Peter at this point but the boy had gone back to missing and she wasn’t too fussed on looking for him.
“Yeah because we went looking for them and couldn’t find them anywhere.”
“You went looking for James?” Sirius asked Lily with a frown, pushing down Hermione’s knees so he could put the pillow on her lap instead and hug her legs. It was rather intimate and Lily seemed to be finding so as she looked between them but she kept her mouth shut as Hermione’s quick look.
“No she did, I tagged along and looked for Marlene.”
“Only place we haven’t checked is your dormitory.” Hermione said with a shrug of her shoulders as Remus’ eyes turned wide and he nearly threw himself from the chair while Sirius shifted and let out a humming noise.
“Yes!” The boy sat up quickly, seeming to realise what they had just said and turned a wide eyed look to Hermione who was watching him in shock. “He’s sleeping!” Remus added after, looking much more awake but no less green.
“Did you have to shout that, you could have just told us?” Lily asked with her own frown, taking a sip of her tea and pushing her legs out to push Sirius away from her. Silver eyes turned to her in amusement as he crossed his arms over his chest and stayed put.
“As for Marlene, we... I am not sure.” He added after a second.
“She’s probably with that guy she’s been seeing.” Lily commented as Hermione sat forward, looking around Sirius, pressing her hand to his chest and forcing him back so she could see her friend.
Usually she avoided gossip, Lavender and Parvati had ruined it for her before and Emmeline and Jenny weren’t any different, constantly spreading rumours and looking for the next piece of information on their classmates, but Hermione had to admit there were some things that had her acting like a normal teenage girl.
Clearly that was the secrets of her friends, which is why she whispered loudly to Lily. “What guy?”
“Some guy, she never told me his name and I don’t think it’s serious…” Lily waved off but her eyes were bright with their own interest and amusement, clearly she too wanted to know who Marlene was seeing and why it was a secret.
“It’s defo not me.”
“Idiot.” Lily hissed out to Sirius who was resting his head against the back of the sofa, Hermione removed her hand and took a sip of her own tea as Lily shrugged her shoulders. “Anyway she’s probably with him.” She followed it with a look, one that let Hermione know that Lily didn’t think Marlene was just sleeping over, but it wasn’t to be said outloud.
Hermione hummed, but her eyes were on Remus and Sirius who seemed to know something more, shifting in their seats and sending one another looks, she could be reading into it but...
...
RAVENCLAW VS GRYFFINDOR – SATURDAY THE 9TH OF MAY. DON’T MISS IT.
Hermione stared at the poster with disdain, how the captains had gotten Ms.Pince to put it up in the library she would never know, but now it was just a reminder of the promise she had made to her brother for tomorrow.
“Are you going tomorrow?” Hermione whispered to Lily, craning her head around the piles upon piles of books that the girls seemed to have collected in order to study for their exams. Lily looked up, seeming surprised that Hermione was there, too lost in whatever she had been reading about to pay attention.
“Last match of the year, might as well – though I might miss out on the party.” Lily smirked as she spoke, emerald eyes glinting as Hermione narrowed her own. Her and Sirius hadn’t discussed what happened two months ago and instead they just shifted into a slightly argumentative teasing nature, much softer than what she had had with the older Sirius but still quite reminiscent.
It wasn’t like Hermione wanted to sit down and ask what was happening between them. She had pretty much done the same to Remus and that hadn’t changed anything, just a friendly kiss between friends. Perhaps Sirius thought the same, that Hermione went around pecking all her friends, or maybe it meant nothing to him.
For her it had kind of cast him in a new light, one where the curiosity got the better of her and she tuned into the whispered conversations between girls. Even couldn’t help but watch him speak to girls, the way he doing it so smoothly, but the only one who she was actually aware of that had had something more personal with Sirius was Edith.
And said girl was sat glaring at something before her, eating some kind of sweet and not focused on her surroundings.
“If looks could kill. God, you would think there was still something going on between them with you glaring like that.” Lily whispered lowly as Ms Pince passed around them, eyes scanning everything like some crazed hawk. Hermione narrowed her eyes further and leaned forward.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You’re a shit liar, trust me whatever happened is over, move on from it.” Lily hissed, seeming put off by the conversation that Hermione let her head hang with a bit of guilt, the emerald eyes softening slightly but nothing more was said.
If Hermione could get over whatever her problem was with Edith then she would. The girl seemed quite nice, very intelligent and funny from what she’d heard or seen, and she wasn’t spending her time clinging to Sirius’ arm or even bringing anything up that happened between them but there was just something about her, something made Hermione itch.
She wasn’t about to admit she wanted to be with Sirius, but it was hard to ignore whatever she was feeling and maybe she was just annoyed that Edith got there first. Or maybe it was that Edith was everything that Hermione was and wasn’t.
Blond, petite, curvy, with a humour that was both dark and witty at the same time, her love for Quidditch and being an excellent player outshone most of her team. She had an intelligence that most people seemed to forget, more than capable of topping most of their class and yet she hid it behind narrowed eyes and didn’t seem all too focused on being the best. And yet Hermione wouldn’t put it past the girl to step on peoples toes to get what she wanted, and not even show a single care.
There was something gloriously Slytherin about Edith. Something about her that just kind of made sense with Sirius.
"Hello friends of mine, I see you’re both settled for the evening." Hermione jumped, turning to see Marlene sitting herself down beside Lily, James and Remus sitting to the side and Sirius sitting beside her. He gave her a warm smile but his eyes never looked to Edith, and she never looked to him.
“Lily-flower, you know you really should greet people when they say hello." Sirius joked, wincing when Lily slapped his hands away from the books and sent him a glare. He leaned back in his chair, one arm going to rest behind her shoulders. No one paid any attention, not even her brother who was busy glaring at Edith from across the room. “Have either of you seen Peter?”
Hermione shook her head and clenched her teeth as Lily mumbled a no. So the rat was back to sneaking around and avoiding his friends it seemed.
“You missed our practice.” James hissed towards Hermione who frowned and looked at the books around her, he didn’t comment any more, continuing his glaring across the room. “If she tries what she did last year, Padfoot, I want you to hit her with your beaters bat, I don’t care what happened between you two.” He turned to face his best friend as Sirius frowned.
Hermione hid her grin, so they were further along then. Maybe not fully transformed, but they were far along enough to know what they were and develop their nicknames.
“Padfoot?” Lily asked, the boys ignored her as Remus rolled his eyes.
“Mate, I’m not even on the team yet, I’m just a reserve and also I’m not hitting any woman with a bat, that’s just cruel.” Sirius remarked as Lily threw her hands in the air and gave up on her quest for answers in return for reading. “Just don’t let her get close.”
“Oh like you can speak?” James hit back and Hermione laughed out loud, her cheeks blushing as Sirius turned an annoyed glance to her, but she just smiled sweetly as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“It is take it out on Sirius day, I didn’t vote for this.”
“I would.”
“That’s because you are heartless to my suffering, Evans.” Sirius bit back but his eyes had gone back to teasing and Lily seemed to recognise it as she placed her book back down on the table and leaned forward to rest on her elbows.
“Oh no, it must be so hard being you, talented, handsome and multiple girls hanging on your arms...I can’t even begin to imagine the pain.” Lily ticked each one off on her fingers and gave a self satisfied smirk as Sirius raised his eyebrows and flicked his hair out of his eyes while all their friends looked between the two of them.
Sirius moved forward more slowly as the smile fell from Lily’s face and she seemed to be rethinking what she had said but Sirius was there first. “You think I’m handsome, Evans?”
“What…?” Her voice was a squeak and her cheeks were turning red.
“Him! Really! This is despicable!” James slapped his hand against the table, letting out a pained gasp and shaking it off as Lily turned to look briefly at the boy. Hermione would have focused on that more but her eyes drifted to her best friend.
Marlene sat gripping the edge of the table, icy eyes even colder than usual and glaring a hole into the table, her whole body tensed like she was readying herself for some kind of fight. It made no sense, there was nothing around them to have provoked such a reaction but it didn’t stop Hermione from looking around or frowning.
Marlene caught her eye quickly, letting go of the table and rolling her shoulders back, but she didn’t offer a smile like she usually would.
“Mr Potter, keep your voice down or I will have you removed.” Ms Pince cut off James from where he was still ranting and raving about how upsetting this news was. Remus ignoring his friend and Sirius finding the whole thing amusing it seemed.
“Sorry Ms Pince, I just learnt some very disturbing news.” James sighed dramatically but he eased a kind grin onto his face, Hermione watched from the corner of her eye as James carried on speaking. “I feel betrayed.” Marlene tensed again and let out her own little breath.
“I can’t help how my face looks just like you can’t help that Lily likes it, can’t blame her though, your ugly mug haunts my dreams.” Sirius joked as James reaching for a book, threatening to throw it before grinning as Pince glared at the boy and stalked away with her nose turned up. Hermione reached over, taking the book and protecting it from her brothers violent intents.
“I didn’t mean it like that, the lots of you are handsome...oh fuck.” Lily whispered out, her head falling into her hands as a wide grin appeared on James’ face and he jumped up from his chair, the wood falling back with a loud bang.
“Yes!”
“Mr Potter!”
“Don’t worry Pincy, I’ll keep it down.” James spoke like he was singing, doing a little dance and not seeming to notice the blush on Lily’s face where she kept her face in her hands and was muttering to herself. “I’m so happy.”
Marlene all but growled under her breath, pushing herself back from the table that the whole thing moved, sending books and her own chair to the ground. She didn’t offer them any explanation, didn’t look at any of their shocked faces, but just simply jogged out of the library without another glance back, almost knocking into the librarian who was watching her with a glare.
None of them spoke for a while, looking between themselves but Hermione kept her eye on her brother, her mind turning with a thousand ideas, as his happy expression pinched and his eyes filled up with guilt, leaving Sirius to ask the question they were all thinking. “What’s her problem?”
“Alright, none of you can be quiet, all of you out now.” Pince was there then, shooing them away with waving hands and a glare that made her look like an angry bird.
“Well done, you guys.” Lily turned to snap at them all before turning back to Pince with a frown. “Fine, but I’m taking the book with me.” Lily snapped, picking up the book as Ms Pince rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. She kept the page open, allowing Remus to guide her by her elbow toward the stairs and the Great Hall while Hermione, James and Sirius followed.
They sat down like that, Hermione shifted to be in between her brother and his best friend while Lily read across from her and Remus watched over her shoulder, seeming pretty interested in the book also.
“So what happened with Marlene?” Hermione asked, Lily’s eyes looking up in curiosity as James’ tongue went to the side of his mouth and her gave her a smile that looked far too innocent for him.
“You know her, I imagine it’s Quidditch, lot’s of pressure tomorrow, Quidditch cup and everything.” He rambled, waving his hands around but his eyes were downcast and he seemed to be avoiding looking at Hermione or Lily, not that Lily cared that much she had gone back to reading her book with a frown on her face.
“Right...Sirius what are you doing?” Hermione asked in shock as a fork was held close to her mouth, enough to make her eyes go cross eyed, she moved back slightly, turning to look at him as he raised his eyebrows at her and then stared down at the food.
“Making sure you eat.”
“I have two very capable hands that make sure that happens.” Hermione gestured, wiggling her fingers in his face and then reaching to grab her knife and fork to show him with her own cheeky grin.
He put the fork down and held up his own hands as she glared at him, though there was a touch of amusement there. “Excuse me for wanting to take care of my friends.”
James let out a scoff, shoving his food to the side of his mouth and sending an awkward wink to his friend as he leaned around Hermione on one elbow to gesture to his best friend. “If you want to do that then you should be feeding me.”
“You’re just not as pretty as your sister, Prongs, just doesn’t have the same appeal.” Sirius explained with a wave of his hand, pulling on one of Hermione’s curls and grinning as James frowned at him and then ran a hand over his face and looking at Hermione quickly.
“Prongs?” Lily mouth to Hermione but she just shook her head and held back the smile on her lips.
“Well then feed him -” He gestured to Remus who blinked and looked around, having pretty much taken Lily’s book from her and was reading a passage and not paying attention to his friends. “- and stop whatever this weird foreplay is with my sister.” His eyes flickered between them as Hermione felt her mouth fall open in another bout of shock.
“Excuse - “
“Do you hear her screaming?” Sirius asked James who frowned and shook her head. “Then this isn’t foreplay, if I have to tell you that then you’ve been doing it wrong.” James’ cheeks turned red and he mouthed something that rhymed with ‘lunt’ at Sirius.
“Sirius!”
“See that sounds more like it!” He grinned down at her, moving to whisper in her ear. “Fancy giving it a try upstairs?” Hermione narrowed her eyes and let a small smirk appear on her face as Sirius watched her unsure, leaning back in his seat and letting out an uneasy laugh. “I’m just joking?”
“Oh no…”
“This is going to be fun…”
“Hermione, I was just joking...please!” Sirius screamed, causing the rest of the tables to turn around and look towards them, but he was already on his feet, looking to his friends for help only to find James grinning in open amusement and Remus cringing at him.
“Three...two…” Sirius let out a gasp as Hermione stood up, her wand already in her hand. He didn’t wait to find out what would happen when she got to one, turning tail and running out of the Great Hall loudly as Hermione grinned and sat down beside James again. “And finally peace.”
“Aren’t you going to go after him?”
“He’ll get what’s coming to him when the time is right.” Hermione answered her brother seriously, his eyebrows raising and his mouth pulling at the edges as she began digging into her food.
...
“I can’t believe you turned his hair pink.” Lily chuckled beside her as they stood in the stands, cheering every so often when something interesting happened or when the players flew past. Sirius easy to see on his broom, a deep scowl on his face and his waves a bright pink.
What a day to fill in for one of the starting beaters. It was almost like it was meant to be that Daniel came down with a rather chesty cough.
“Hopefully he’ll learn his lesson.” Hermione spoke as Remus snickered beside her and clapped as James scored yet another goal, the whole Gryffindor stands going wild as the Ravenclaws and Slytherins booed at them.
Lily leaned forward, her breath tickling Hermione’s ear. “Like you hadn’t thought his invitation was tempting.” She yelped as Hermione elbowed her side and cast a glance to Remus who looked amused at the whole situation.
He turned his head and sent her a wink, letting her know he had heard what Lily said. Hermione sent him a glare back and turned her eyes to the field. It was an intense game, a lot on the line and the title match for who would win the Quidditch cup, and in her lack of Quidditch knowledge they both seemed like good teams.
Though it was James who was the star, catching every Quaffle flung at him, dodging every bludger before Sirius could hit it, throwing to Marlene and zipping around to make another goal. It was easy to see where Harry had gotten his talent from. And easy to see who his competition was.
Edith was like a soft little lightening bolt. Small enough that she could weave around people and strong enough that she seemed more than capable of throwing the Quaffle half way across the pitch and into the goal. She did spins and dangerous turns, and she grinned prettily the whole time she did it, like she was enjoying the whole thing.
Her and James seemed to also have a few choice words for each other every time they crossed paths, Edith grinning dangerously and James fighting his own to glare at her.
“Guess it all comes down to who catches the snitch.” Hermione heard Lily say to Remus who nodded his head, it was pretty even scores and the seekers were diving every which way to try and find the little golden ball. “Do you think I could pull off pink hair?”
“I think your hair is beautiful as it is but we could try if you wanted.” Hermione placated with a soft smile as she reached out to touch the beautiful auburn hair between her fingers, seeming much brighter and redder in the sun and reminding her of another redhead she had once considered a close friend but then Lily’s eyes were on her and pushing past the sudden sadness.
“What? Right now?” Her friend asked, a frown on her face as she ran her fingers through her hair and stared at Hermione.
“No...if you wanted though you would be more than welcome to come to the Manor this summer for a couple of week, we could experiment then.” Hermione spoke softly, shrugging her shoulders as Lily let her mouth fall open and Remus let out a little laugh, leaning down to whisper at the girls and pointing to the pink haired boy flying past.
“Never let Sirius hear you say that.”
“I meant with charms...don’t you start doing it too.” Hermione snapped at him, pointing her finger and letting her frown fall when the werewolf gave her a soft smile. “So what do you say?” She turned back to Lily and rubbed her hands together nervously.
“This is your way of inviting me to your house that I haven’t seen in all our years of friendship?”
“Should I have tried another way?” Hermione joked, tilting her head to the side as Lily bit out a laugh and raised an eyebrow, seeming to contemplate for a second.
“I’m teasing, I’d love to come…will you be there Remus?” The redhead asked, turning back to Remus as his grin brightened and Lily’s cheeks turned a pretty pink. Hermione looked amused at her friend, it was hard not to somewhat flustered around Remus when he smiled so confidently like that.
The boy chuckled. “I usually am.”
“The question is, when isn’t he there?” Hermione joked as Remus shoved her shoulder but joined in the laughter between them as Ravenclaw let out a collective moan when their goal was blocked and the Gryffindors cheered loudly.
“Someone just jealous but her mum likes me more.” Remus whispered to Lily who chuckled and nodded her head in agreement as Hermione scoffed slightly.
“Well we know that’s not true, her clear favourite is Sirius.”
“True.”
“Wait Sirius?” Lily asked with wide eyes, much more innocently than her son had been at her age, though she supposed Harry had had more going on and had seen far too much by the time he turned fourteen.
“Yeah, he practically lives with us, as do Marlene and that moocher.” Hermione said with a shrug of her shoulders as she pointed them all out and added an extra frown at Remus who laid a hand against his chest and let out a gasp.
“I don’t mooch, I just accepted an invitation -”
“And never left.” Hermione cut him off and avoided another shove, turning her eyes back to the field as James scored another goal and cheered his arms in the air, the crowd going wild like he was some kind of rock star, chanting his name and no doubt feeding into his already huge ego.
“It’s a nice house.” Remus shouted to Lily over the noise, clearly explaining why he seemed to spend more time at the Potter’s than his own home and then he threw a cheeky grin for another measure. “And Poppy makes the best chocolate cake.”
“Are you sure your parents won’t mind?” Lily asked timidly, turning back to Hermione though the green eyes were clearly curious with Remus’ claims. “They sound like they’ve got a full house what with you lot…” She waved her hands around as Hermione gave her a bemused look. “And Poppy.”
“Don’t forget the occasional and by that I mean frequent visit from Andy, Ted and Dora.” Hermione added with a teasing grin as Lily sucked in a breath.
“Well it sounds pretty crowded.” Hermione could almost agree with that statement as half of third year Gryffindor seemed to live in her house plus the extras, it made for a lot of hustle and bustle in the house and perhaps for outsiders it seemed like a lot…
But Hermione...well she’d always loved it. When she had been Hermione Granger her house had been quiet with both her parents preferring silence as they read and spent time together, it had only taken going to the Weasley’s and the Gryffindor tower a couple times that she had seen how alive a house could feel when you had a million people running around and always doing something. And then it had all been taken away from her.
Hermione Potter’s start of life had been much the same, quiet and tip-toeing around her grandparents in worry of upsetting Dorea. Going to Potter Manor and living with the energetic and fun-loving James had done a lot to bring back her eagerness at having as many people around her as she could.
“It’s not, trust me, we’ll have fun.” A bit too late as Lily jumped, seeming to have taken Hermione’s silence as an answer to her question.
“I’m not…”
“It’s settled then, you’ll be staying with us for minimum of two weeks.” Hermione forced a grin on her face and clapped her hands together before focusing on the game as Lily pursed her lips and turned to look back at Remus.
“She does know I have to ask my parents, right?”
“Just go with it, she isn’t going to take no for an answer.” Remus answered for her, clapping at another Gryffindor attempt, shrugging his shoulders and looking down at Lily with another smile. “And it would be nice to have you there.” That was an understatement but Hermione would take it.
...
July 1975
"So will I be meeting this Lily today?" Hermione stood in the kitchen watching as her legal guardian, her mother, stood making all kinds of desserts, her hair up in a messy yet elegant French twist and her apron covered in flour. She turned around and raised an eyebrow at her daughter, who pursed her lips and nodded her head. “Use your words.”
“Yes, though you have seen her before.”
“Was that sass?” Euphemia asked, pointed the wooden spoon at Hermione.
“No Ma’am.”
“Good..ah ah ah, ladies don’t dip their fingers in bowls like that.” Hermione pouted as she took her finger out of the biscuit batter, wincing as her mother gave her a look that threatened to slap her hand should she try it again.
“You let Andy do it.” Hermione whined, looking around for her cousin who seemed to be at home more and more these days. Hermione missed the Tonks’ and she missed seeing how far Dora had come and how long she would have to wait before the clumsy witch with good humour was back and making Hermione laugh.
“While Andy might as good as be my daughter she is also a grown woman with a her child, I am not to govern her like I am with you, sweet daughter.” Euphemia reached over and squished Hermione’s cheeks, hazel eyes twinkling with amusement as Hermione tried to twist out of the grasp.
“So all I have to do is have a child and then I am allowed to eat as disgustingly as I want?” She asked with her own amusement, taking joy when Euphemia blanched and her mouth opened, her eyes narrowing at her daughter.
“Within reason and don’t even think about it, you are far too young.”
“I wasn’t planning on it anytime soon.”
“Good.” And that was the end of it, Hermione left chuckling to herself as she watched the woman go back to her baking. “Now tell me more about this Lily, is this the one you fell out with and who doesn’t like my Jamie?” A sigh left Hermione’s mouth as she thought about how she could explain this.
“We made up and -” Hermione started wincing when Euphemia turned to look at her. “Well, the problem is dear mother of mine, is that Jamie seems to have developed...hum...I want to call it a crush but it is bordering on obsession, and let’s just say he doesn’t quite know when to quit, I thought the seventh hex would be the charm but I think we’ve gone well past one hundred now.” She joked lightly at the end, grinning softly.
“That boy, I swear to Merlin…”
“I actually think he does really like her and the day she says yes, well I bet Remus and Sirius ten galleons that he is going to faint.” She did laugh this time, picturing the image in her head and how amusing it would be to watch James fall flat on his face when the day came.
“The day she says yes?” Hermione nodded and gave her mother a cheeky smile as the woman chuckled under her breath before her eyes turned wide and she focused back on her daughter with a much more serious expression. “Ten galleons?!”
“Well I’ll be laughing when the day comes, they don’t even think she’ll say yes.” Hermione defended herself, shrugging her shoulders. “We’ll be twenty galleons richer, mum, it’s all business.” Hermione popped a grape laying on the side into her mouth and rubbed her hands onto her shorts with a grin as Euphemia shook her head again.
“Making money off of bets...on your own family.”
...
Five in the evening came quickly and to say Hermione was excited was an understatement. The boys had all but started the summer ignoring her in favour of doing their own thing which more than likely meant practising on their Animagus, only Remus had taken the time to sit beside her in the library and offer an understanding smile when she grumbled and counted down the days.
Now she was all but bouncing down the stairs, a happy grin on her face.
"Marlene McKinnon, dinner first!" Hermione chuckled under her breath as her father came striding into the house and towards the kitchen, not paying attention to her as she jumped the last few steps and smiled as Lily entered the main hall, her mouth open wide and not seeming to notice the mumbled voices.
“Hey.” Hermione spoke softly, a knowing smile on her face as Lily jumped, quickly catching her bag before it could land on the floor.
“You live here?” Lily turned to ask Hermione. It was always funny to watch how people took in the house she had come to think of as home, grand and beautiful with more space than a family of four should ever need – it was a good thing more and more people seemed to be finding more reasons to stay here and make the space feel less grand.
“No, we just occupy it until we sleep.” Hermione spoke softly, resting a hand on Lily’s shoulder as the witch sent her a glare and opened her mouth at the use of sarcasm. “Of course we do, Lil’.” She bumped her shoulders against the girls.
“I could fit my house in her fifty times.”
“I really doubt that.”
“Sorry about that, Marlene seems to make herself rather comfortable here.” Euphemia came bustling out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron and shaking Lily’s limp hand. “It’s very nice to finally meet you – Fleamont tells me you handled side-apparation like a champ, our poor Jamie threw up the first time he tried it.” The mother chuckled to herself as Lily turned to Hermione.
“Mum!” James whined as him and the boys ran down the stairs, his hazel eyes wide and his bottom lip sticking out while Sirius, now back to being black haired, belly laughed behind him and Remus grinned. “I don’t know why you’re laughing, at least I didn’t faint.” James pointed at Sirius who stopped laughing in an instant.
“It’s not natural!”
“Neither is your face!”
“Oi! Have you looked at yours, mate?”
“Boys! We have a guest, at least let her settle in before you start with the shenanigans.” Euphemia called, offering Lily an apologetic smile like they didn’t have to deal with it at Hogwarts. “Are you hungry, dear? Hermione, why don’t you show her to her room while the boys help me set the table?” It was a soft order if the Potter siblings had ever heard one.
Still, Hermione didn’t need to be asked twice, pulling her friend by her arm up the stairs and down the hall, Lily stumbling behind her in an attempt to try and look at every portrait of the Potter family and every room that remained open. She stopped at Hermione’s bedroom and peered inside with a smile.
“It’s very you...where’s James’ bedroom, I’d like to be furthest away from that if possible.” Lily cringed, looking down the hall as though there would be some sign that said ‘Toerag’s room this way’.
“It’s next to mine, but you are beside Marlene, a good couple of rooms away from him and closest to the library.” Hermione explained as Lily let out a sigh and followed Hermione a bit further down the hall, head sweeping left and right at everything they passed.
The room mirrored Marlene’s though flipped the other way, the shared bathroom between open and shining into Marlene’s room, which Lily curiously peered inside.
“Dinner, was it?”
The two girls chatted at they went downstairs, taking more time and Hermione pointing out family members and different features of the house, explaining what rooms they were allowed in and what rooms they weren’t. Lily took it all with a grin, smiling at the moving paintings and the things that were just so Wizard, Hermione had forgotten.
They joined the dinner just as Poppy came out carrying a large pie and ushering the two girls to sit down beside Marlene and between the parents, the boys sat opposite them with James grinning at Lily.
“I hope the room is fine for you...I imagine it’s a bit smaller and if you are more comfortable then you can always room with Hermione.” Euphemia spoke, sipping her elf wine and looking at the girl who seemed rather overwhelmed with everything around her.
“Oh no, it’s fine Mrs Potter, I really appreciate you letting me stay.”
“Such a polite girl, you are more than welcome anytime you would like.” Euphemia said with a grin, reaching to pat Lily’s arm. Hermione rolled her eyes as she sent Lily a look, a polite girl more than capable of hexing or jinxing someone into next week.
“Yes it is rather nice to have a polite child around in the midst of these hooligans.” Fleamont added, pointing to the three boys and then Hermione and Marlene. The group raised their eyebrows as James leant forward and fanned his face, wiping away fake tears with his other hand.
“Dad, you’re so sweet.”
“And you, my children, seem far too incapable of going more than two months without detention.” He pointed between the Potter siblings who sent each other a look, silently questioning who was going to speak.
Hermione turned sweetly to her father, placing a hand under her chin and speaking softly. “I disagree, I haven’t had a detention since my last one a good few months ago.”
“Something I would like to speak to you about – it is hardly Ladylike to be resorting to violent actions.” Euphemia said, gesturing for her daughter to sit up straight and stop slouching like she was at this very moment. Hermione narrowed her eyes and copied her mouth, spooning a lump of food into her mouth and swallowing it nearly whole.
“Which I have learnt and will not be doing again.”
“It’s hard to believe that when you have that cheeky Potter grin on your face.” Hermione turned down the corners of her mouth and frowned, her eyes flickering to where James was grinning very much like his son, something she was familiar and hadn’t been aware she was even doing.
“Tell us about your family, Lily, our family has always found Muggles to be rather interesting, hence the reason why our name isn’t included in the Sacred Twenty-Eight.” Fleamont said with a happy chuckle, like he couldn’t think of anything better.
“Sacred Twenty-Eight?”
“A list of Pureblooded families, the majority of them being bigoted idiots.” Hermione whispered to Lily with a shrug of her shoulders before she nudged the girls shoulder and gestured for her to answer her father’s question.
“Erm...well they're muggles – my father is a plumber, erm - “ Lily stopped when she saw the confused expressions, a small smile on her face. “ - he works with kitchens and my mother is a florist, hence mine and my sisters names.” It made a lot more sense now, and had the corners of Hermione’s mouth turning back up as she considered it.
“Ah you have a sister?” Fleamont asked interestedly, leaning forward and sipping his firewhiskey.
“Yes, Petunia, though we aren’t that close, not like Hermione and Pot- James, she doesn’t really like magic that much.” Lily caught herself before she could speak, wincing when James seemed to sit up straight and his face turned from bored to wonder. Hermione shared a look with Sirius, the pair of them rolling their eyes.
“That’s a shame, though I suppose some people are not as lucky with their siblings as my children are.” Fleamont spoke thoughtfully, smiling at each of his children before looking to Lily with compassion. “My brother and I were never that close.” Lily seemed to relax slightly and Hermione clenched her hands.
“Me and Regulus barely talk.”
“Regulus and I.” Euphemia correctly lowly, not that anyone paid it much mind.
“I’m half and half with my whole family.” Marlene added, patting Lily’s hand gently and then looking back to her plate as Hermione looked at her with a frown.
She knew about the McKinnon’s, there was a reason Marlene was back here again, but it had been a couple of hours since her best friend had even opened her mouth to speak, seeming to concentrate more on her food or clenching her fists when James sent one of his longing looks to Lily. Concern was mixing with suspicion in her chest and leaving a sour taste in her mouth.
“You guys should open a club and call it ‘We have idiotic siblings’ or ‘WHIS’ for short.” James joked as Hermione let out a little chuckle while the rest of the table stared at him, not that it bothered him. “Hermione and I will be unable to join but I’m sure we can sit in from time to time.”
“Carry on with your idiotic ideas and I might have to join them instead.” Hermione added back as James just shrugged his shoulders at her and sent an arm around their werewolf.
“And what about Remus?”
“I’ll start my own club called ‘SGIF ‘ or ‘Support group for Idiotic friends’.” Remus joked dryly as the girls chuckled behind their hands when he gave his two best friends a very professor look, causing both James and Sirius to look back at him annoyed.
“Doesn’t really have the same ring to it.”
“No, but anyone knowing you and Sirius will be willing to join.”
“Why am I being dragged into this?”
“Come on, Pads, you’re the biggest idiot out of all of us.”
“Are they allowed to speak like this in front of your parents?” Lily whispered to Hermione, pointing between the boys and stifling a chuckle when they began shoving each other.
“It amuses my parents to no end.” Hermione whispered back, pointing discreetly to both her parents who were sat watching the boys with light eyes and small smiles. They had always hope for a big family and maybe it wasn’t the way they wanted it but they took joy as having some semblance of it when everyone was home.
...
“Are you sure we shouldn’t help clean up?” Hermione bit back a laugh as they walked with the group to the sitting room, reminded of how she had probably looked once upon a time when being faced with normal household chores being done by someone or something else.
“I’ve tried many times but Poppy prefers doing it herself.” Hermione whispered softly, rubbing her friends arm and offering the kindest smile she could, even if inside it still irked her a bit.
“I wouldn’t think of you guys as being the ones to own a house elf.”
“Neither would I – I kind hated it at first -” Hermione broke off, remembering S.P.E.W before she bit out a laugh, though it felt a bit twisted and not that real. “But Poppy is an exception and paid, she’s actually happy to be here I think.” Or so it seemed.
“She does seem it.” Lily added with a nod of her head.
“Hermione?” Hermione turned to see her mother and father stood behind her, their hands clasped and soft smiles in front of their face, she turned to look at Lily who just shrugged her shoulders. “Do you mind if we have a little talk – in your fathers office?”
Her brow furrowed but she nodded her head, whispering quickly to Lily and following behind her parents. Her heart seemed to be beating loudly and her stomach clenching painfully as they gestured for her to take a seat opposite Fleamont while Euphemia sat herself on the side of his desk, a gentle and nervous smile on her face.
“What’s going on?”
“We know you’ve heard some rumours – and well, we didn’t want anything to be sprung on you.” Euphemia stated nervously again, playing with her ring on her hand and then letting out a cough as she turned to Fleamont.
Her father, usually such a bright man who rarely frowned or seemed unhappy, seemed such now. He reached into his desk, pulling out a paper and passing it over the table for Hermione to take. “Perhaps you should read this, sweetheart.”
Hermione frowned, the paper crinkling in her hand as she looked down at the words on the front page.
Ministry closer to releasing Prisoners
Late last year, a potential bill for releasing some of the prisoners of Azkaban,
was thought to have been taken under consideration by the Minister himself.
In his own words, ‘It has recently come to our attention that a few of our prisoners
were placed in Azkaban without a trial – it despicable and simply inhumane to have
put possibly innocent people away without consideration.’
Though the Wizengamot has yet to come to a decision, it seems they are slowly moving
forward with bill and the person who seems to come to mind for everyone is the notable
and prominent member of the noble houses of Black and Potter – Octans Potter, who
was arrested almost a decade ago on suspicion of murdering his own wife and was
sentenced with life without a trial.
More information should be released within the next few days…
“Hermione?”
Her breath seemed to quicken and her throat tighten further as she stared at the words. It was what she hadn’t wanted to happen, what everyone had tried to assure her wouldn’t even be a possibility and yet now it was staring her in the face and forcing old memories to take forefront in her mind.
Her parents were still talking, that much was sure but her eyes stayed focused on the paper, crushing it in her hands and trying her best to push the tunnel vision away. A whimper left her mouth, followed by a sob.