Like we never left,
Remus is the first one Hope see's when the world stops spinning around them as he catches a light-headed Harry. Sirius is behind him hugging Regulus fiercely.
"Stupid moron, I'm so fucking happy your alive even if I could kill you myself." Sirius threatens as he hugs his baby brother and isn't he just now. Hope had gotten used to young Sirius but even without Remus's Greys, the lines around Sirius's eyes and forehead next to Regulus's pure babyface. It's jarring. "You're even younger than I remember."
"I think you're just old. What the hell happened to you? You look like death." Regulus responds taking his brothers change of appearance in. Sirius looks better than he did, but the years have still made an impact. Not that Sirius will ever not be handsome.
"Azkaban. They thought I gave James up to Voldemort and killed a bunch of Muggles. Nia got me out." Sirius responds with a shrug and a smile.
"I always knew you'd end up in prison eventually. Not for that reason though. Where is Lyra?"
"Inside, Sookie and Petunia are serving tea." Remus answers now that Harry's not at risk of falling over with a potion in hand.
"You didn't make that did you?" Hope asks. Remus is worse at potions than Harry.
"Severus. He stopped by while you were gone, Petunia told him Harry skipped off without you. I figured it would be a good explanation for Harry's health and his groundings which I've already put into place. The Map, the cloak and his broom are in the lock up." Remus catches them up on what they missed and Harry protests a second before Hope gives him a look and he shuts up.
"Brilliant as always Moony, Sirius why don't you take Reg to meet the Snows Harry and I can unpack."
"I was gonna write to Ron, can I go over there? I'm kinda itching for a new setting." He jokes having been locked in the house for a month. Get used to it kid, once Riddle comes back he'll be lucky if Nia let's him out of the house. Still he's safe now so Hope nods and he runs off before she's finished turning to Remus.
"So I'm going through the back to Snows don't question why two middle-aged bachelors have a young lady in the house." She says innocently and Moony pales.
"Hope," Remus starts guiltily and Hope almost laughs. He's trying to apologise and will probably grovel when they're alone.
"Moony," she replies innocently with a smirk and Sirius looks at them confused. Right, how to tell Sirius.
"What am I missing?" He asks directly and she never technically promised not to lie to Sirius.
"You all had sex and you had to be obliviated so as to not affect the timeline." That's one way. "Now I'm going to meet my daughter if you don't mind." Regulus finishes his statement with a sour expression, definitely masking fear and struts off. Hope lets out a laugh but gets her head in the game.
"What a fun addition to the household. And just to clarify us having sex and you being obliviated weren't related. You had to be mind wiped regardless." Sirius' eyebrows almost reach his hairline.
"Ended up getting your first kiss after all, did I?"
"Technically it was Remus, you were first for a couple other things though,"
"I'm sorry first? You failed to mention that." Remus is even paler if possible and she can practically read the big bad wolf defiling a young girl narrative in her head. Though she's pretty sure his version is a horror story and hers is less scary and more Horny.
"Didn't come up, we can talk about this later but Sirius you should follow Regulus and let Petunia know we have a meeting at Gringotts at eight tomorrow. Moony a little help with the bags?" Sirius looks like he wants to say something more but Remus gives him a look.
"Later." Sirius demands nodding slowly before he follows his now much younger brother.
They take the back way and find Dobby in her room looking through a small pile of mail on her desk. "Dobby?" There's a squeak and he turns wide wide scared eyes.
"Mistress Nia! Dobby was just, Dobby wanted." His voice is high and panicked as he picks up one of Nia's thickest Goblin law books and begins hitting himself with it. Chanting bad Dobby like his name is a curse in itself.
"Dobby Stop! What have I said about hurting yourself? Both physically and verbally. You are not a bad Elf. You are a good Dobby. Best Dobby I know. You were curious and that's fine. If you like, you can organise the house's mail." Hope says softly, taking the book from him and offering a hug. Dobby's crying now but clicks his fingers as the pile rearranges into three groups. Prophets, personal, business. Hope thanks him before he disapperates with Harry's bags.
Hope goes through the mail she's missed. It's only been two weeks here but there are letters from Ron and Hermione for Harry. Arthur inviting Petunia and Harry to the Quidditch World cup. Plus the tickets Hope already bought for Sirius, Harry, Regulus and Harper.
"About what happened," Remus starts and Hope sighs.
"Yeah, sorry about that. Sirius is like a dog with a bone isn't he. Not that you did much to discourage him." Hope rambles before he can and he blushes.
"I don't remember you objecting." He quips and Hope grins. Maybe this won't be so awkward.
"Well where I'm from you and Sirius are kinda in the list of fictional crushes, it's not often an opportunity like that presents itself." Remus goes even redder. "I also understand that Nineteen seventy-nine Remus and Nineteen ninety-four Remus have different priorities and I'm chill. No need to let me down gently. I don't particularly want to join the childhood loves reuniting thing. Try everything once right."
"Or twice, I think the phrase you used was the third time's the charm." Remus laughs and Hope grins.
"You look better. You're almost as healthy looking as you were then. I was worried I'd come back to the two of you looking like corpses in comparison would add more trauma to Harry's day." She jokes a little too lightly but Remus smiles.
"How is he? How are you? Have you talked to him?" Hope looks away back to the mail and a gold stamped letter from gringotts.
"Not since what you saw at breakfast… Fourteen years ago. He's weak, I'm going to Owl Molly to make sure he gets there safely and to keep an eye on him. We were supposed to be in India so maybe he got into an argument with a snake and got bit. We gave him the antidote but it was a close call." She rattles off the plan she made while Harry was unconscious.
"An argument with a snake? Can't he control them."
"Sort of? It's like my suggestion they still have a mind of their own. It's how I convinced Lamia to betray Voldemort last year." She says almost absent-mindedly as she opens the letter from Gringotts. It's done. "Which is how I got this, Petunia's off the hook. Care to floo me to Gringotts Love?"
Hope switches her face to Petunia's with the talisman and takes Remus's arm leading him to the upstairs floo.
It's not late in the afternoon so Gringotts is busy, but Nagnok is waiting for her at his desk. " Good afternoon My Lady." The Goblin bows his head with a genuine respect that catches Hope off guard until she sees the black ledger on his desk. Specifically the golden lettering.
Evanna Hope. Crap. The name isn't spoken aloud but Hope feels herself freeze regardless.
"The oddest thing, not three days ago the name rewrote itself, along with a few additional titles and accounts under the new name" He says and Hope sits down without actually meaning too. This is a lot.
"Accounts?" She asks, Siobahn was summoned to this world by Voldemort and Reggie. She wouldn't have a Gringotts account.
"Vault one and three. Full inventories of both are here and only visible to you or a Gringotts Goblin, as is the name on your ledger." Nagnok offers the last piece of information in the closest to offering comfort as a Goblin is capable of.
"Well then, I'll look through those in my own time. You sent a letter that the blade I commissioned is ready?" He bows his head again and extends his hand to summon a gorgeous black dagger. He hands it to her by that handle.
It's small, shorter than a wand but thicker fitting perfectly into her curled hands. The silver metal the goblins use is mixed with a swirling black in Hope knows is the Basilisk venom. The blade itself is twisted like a corkscrew. There's no elaborate detail or embellishment. The handle is made from the same black and silver of the rest only ingrained with grooves for better grip. It's sleek and simple.
"It's perfect." She says smoothing along the edge, careful not to break her skin.
"It is Goblin custom that the Blade is yours until your death at which point it is to be returned to us. With your species that may have complications." He says and Hope's smile drops. Complications. Because she won't die, but instead disappear.
"My job will be completed by Nineteen ninety-nine. My Ward Harry will return it to you upon my departure." She promises and he nods his head.
"If that will be all My Lady." He says simply then, their business being complete there's no need for niceties or small talk. Works for her. Hope walks out of Gringotts and walks almost directly into Narcissa and Draco Malfoy.
"Well if it isn't my two favourite Malfoy's."
"Professor Evans." Narcissa says curtly and goes to walk away. Draco doesn't look up the entire time but he looks too skinny and fragile by half. Hope reaches out to catch Narcissa's arm.
"I was hoping we could have tea, Narcissa. I have some things I need to discuss regarding my plans for next year." She says quietly so only she and Draco can hear and he meets her eyes.
"We have nothing to discuss." Narcissa rejects and Hope swears internally.
"Sirius and Remus always bring up how similar Draco Is to Regulus. I'd hate for history to repeat itself." She says instead and Narcissa stills.
"Are you threatening my son?"
"Never. I'm hoping to stop him getting hurt but I need you to work with me. After the Quidditch World cup, have tea with me and I'll explain." She tries to express how important this is without sounding desperate. Narcissa nods before walking off. Draco is looking back at Hope who smiles.
"Don't lose hope kid. It takes more than the silent treatment to scare me off." She promises and makes her way into the leaky cauldron where she spots Severus and makes a Beeline for him.
"Sev, guess what I got." She says excitedly dropping the chest onto the table in front of him.
"Access to too much pepper up potion? He counters and she ignores the comment, opening the box for him to see.
"I assume Potter managed to get the locket."
"And its keeper. He's with Lyra. Harry drank just under half a bowl of draught of despair though so if you could go easy on him."
"Letting him walk all over you now won't make up for what you let happen to him in the past. He needs a balance. Boundaries and consequences." Severus sighs closing the box and handing it back to her.
"He's grounded, ish. He's at the Weasleys now but once we get back to school I'm taking his cloak his broom and his map. Plus there's nothing else happening till September so he has time to stew." She responds and he smiles warily at her and then she feels his hand on her thigh and she jumps up so fast the rest of the bar turns to look.
"Petunia what's wrong. I thought after," he doesn't finish his sentence but Hope's eyes widen. What did Petunia do?
"Sookie!" She cries and the house elf appears, see's her discomfort and takes her home.