Time Boat

{21}

{21-Funny Story... Okay Maybe Not Quite So Funny}

She'd been wearing her charms for so long now that it was almost her second skin, so when a confused Sirius opened the door, Hermione was just as puzzled as he looked.

"Hermione?" He asked, looking back over his shoulder quickly and then sliding out the door, closing it shut behind him.

"Yeah, obviously."

"Is it over?" He wondered, looking hopeful beyond what she thought.

It only hit her then that Regulus had been a victim of the war too. If he helped her, however, he wouldn't have to be, and once he realized Voldemort was a bad person, he would be free of him and able to join his brother in the good.

"No... I need your help again. But I need everyone's help."

Sirius ran a hand through his hair and it fell in several different places, making him look the rugged handsome he always boasted being. She didn't know why she noticed such a thing, but maybe it was the fact that he looked two years older than when she last saw him... despite it not really being that long.

"You know, Remus-"

Hermione cut him off right there, "I don't care what he says, or does, I know he'll want Voldemort gone more than he wants me gone, so why don't you let me in and ask everyone for help! It's very important, and I'll explain it later, I promise, but for now... just please help me end this."

The man nodded, turning around and opening the door, but before he let her in he asked her gently over his shoulder, "Do you really think people can hate you for that long?"

She didn't get the chance to answer.

"Who was it, Sirius, Harry hates the sound of the doorbell and won't stop crying!"

Harry could only be a month old by then, and even so, she did not risk taking her charms down. He wasn't allowed even a glimpse of her until Hogwarts.

"I have a surprise," he said warily, leading Hermione into the sitting room where things had gone down over two years ago.

Had it really been that long?

Of course... for everyone looked older, and even James had seemed to put on the title of father well.

Severus huffed lightly in astonishment, and Peter looked rather shocked to see her... or rather Florizel.

"Zel?" James seemed privy to her nick-name for some strange reason, but everyone smiled nonethless, even Peter.

"Yeah," she said, wary of Remus as Sirius stepped away from her and headed into the room, finding his place next to him.

"You've been gone for two years," Remus stated.

"Sort of," she said, "I popped in for the occasional favor or two."

"Does that mean you're here for another?" Lily wondered.

"Yes," Hermione was glad to put her attention elsewhere, "I need help destroying something."

How to go about this without completely tipping Peter off was going to be rather hard, but it seemed that there was no other option. If he wanted to run off and rat to the Dark Lord, then so be it.

"What do you mean?"

"I've been hunting these things that have been keeping..." she took in a deep breath and frowned, wondering how this would all go, "They've been keeping Voldemort safe, and if we destroy them all tonight... the next person to get even an inch of a killing curse on him wins. It'll be over with before anyone else gets hurt."