In Perpetuum

Chapter 28

Chapter 28: In memoria diligens dilectione sororia

The remainder of the Christmas holidays was spent eating Ma’s excellent home-cooked food, having snowball fights to work off the food, and relaxing with a game of Wizard’s chess. Remus brought along his set, and James had his own. Armed with these, they were able to create a competition between the group of them.

Boo gave his contribution by lying on the sidelines and alternating between napping and attempting to attack the chess pieces. The chess pieces got very annoyed at the frequent intrusions, and as a result they refused to follow Hermione’s orders. This is not to say that the humans did not get annoyed. James was all for locking him in the attics, however, Hermione cuffed him around the ears before she could proceed with his plan.

Part of the entertainment was the boys inviting Peter around, and then as he stepped through the fireplace (after having Flooed there) they would pelt him with snowballs that they had brought in from outside. Hermione tried to show some discontent with this particular behaviour, but found that it was much easier not to say anything at all.

There were days when for whole stretches of time, the guys were nowhere to be found. Hermione later discovered, from Sirius, that they were using this time to go into the library at Potter Manor and do some more research about becoming an animagus.

Towards the end of the holidays, it dawned on both Sirius and Hermione that once they went back to school they would have very limited time together. Hermione had taken to sharing her bed with Sirius just so that they could get some time alone before they went back to Hogwarts.

Together they would curl under the covers and have whispered conversations about whatever took their fancy.

Sirius learned that Hermione was deathly afraid of failing exams at school. She thought that it would give the other students a reason to bully her. Hermione learned exactly what hard work it was to become an animagus. It took months of meditation and concentration before the participants even had a chance, and this heightened Hermione’s respect for the guys so much that on this night, she let Sirius stay the whole time. She had been kicking him out at 5 in the morning up until that point, to prevent the arousal of any suspicions.

On these nights when he stayed in her room, they would often fall asleep in a tangle of limbs with Boo asleep at their feet, perfect for keeping them warm.

Hermione greatly treasured these moments. For the first time in a long time she felt safe, despite the danger that was ever-present beyond the secure confines of Potter Manor and Hogwarts castle.

Although it was less obvious to the others in her family, Hermione knew that dark times were approaching. The number of disappearances, although not as bad as it was in ‘her time’, was nonetheless steadily on the increase.

Snuggling further into the arms of her boyfriend, Hermione tried to put it all out of her mind and try and get some sleep before they had to go back to Hogwarts and be subject to many piles of agonising homework.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Hermione had barely begun to put her things away when a small, blonde head peered around the door frame of the fourth-year girls’ dormitories.

She was clearly not expecting anybody because when she heard a small, scared voice she jumped about a foot in the air, throwing the shirt she was folding up in the air while she was at it.

The little girl, a first year, cowered behind the door whilst simultaneously thrusting out a hand that was holding a yellowed scroll of parchment.

Calming down rather quickly when she saw that it was only a First year, she thanked the girl for passing it on and took the parchment from her.