Title: And Then There Were Two
Summary: Sirius Black is a self proclaimed bachelor, loving every moment of the single life. So how will he cope when Dumbledore asks him to become a parent? AU
Spoilers: Just to be on the safe side: SS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OotP, and HBP
Pairings: James/Lily, Remus/OC, Sirius/ and various females
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Fate stay with me, and guide me along my way
There has been so many problems
So please stay, please, stay
Fate stay with me, will you help me on my way
Will you end my troubles
Will you please stay, please
-- Alanis Morissette "Fate Stay With Me"
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Chapter Three
Fate
Scotland - Hogwarts - September 1, 1991
The first night at Hogwarts was by far the worst for Hermione. The sheets were itchy. The room was cold. One of the girls snored louder than Sirius. The usual steady, soft croaking of Fred was missing. And it smelled completely different from home. That thought made her stop in the middle of her self pity. Home. She hadn't even realized that's what she began to see Sirius's house as. She hadn't even been there a month, but it was home. She missed the smell of the wooden cottage, of the fire crackling in the wood stove nearly all the time. She missed the smell of the green apple dish soap that always floated into her room and the creaky stairs that alerted her to when Sirius was awake or heading to bed. She missed the sun streaming in through her window in the morning to warm her face and her room. Hermione missed everything about the cottage, especially Sirius.
Finally, able to take no more of lying wide awake in bed she wrapped herself in her blanket and headed for the common room. Once down the stairs she curled up on one of the red couches near the dimming fire. She was about to lay her head down on the arm rest when she spotted a toad.
"Why hello there." She told him, stroking a finger down his rough back. "Did you get scared as well?"
"Trevor?" Hermione whipped her head around at the sound of the small voice. She recognized him as the boy that rode with her, Ron, and Harry in the boat on their way to Hogwarts. "I thought I might have lost him for good this time." He said coming around the couch to scoop up the toad in his arms.
"I have a frog at home named Fred." Hermione said. "I'm Hermione by the way." She held out her hand, the boy took it.
"Neville Longbottom. Could you not sleep either?" He asked.
"No, not really."
Neville took a seat on the couch next to Hermione. "I kept thinking of my bed at home."
"Me too."
The two talked for awhile longer until each were yawning too much to utter another word. Neville trekked back up the stairs to his dormitory. Hermione, however, stayed curled next to the fire. She thought if she tried to go back to her bed she'd only continue to miss home. Curled up under her blanket with the glow of the fire illuminating her face she fell asleep.
"Hermione," someone was shaking her rather insistently, "Hermione come on it's time for breakfast."
"Just a little longer Sirius."
"Well, I'm not Sirius, but if you want to miss breakfast and your first class then yes you can sleep for a little bit longer." Hermione's eyes flew open and she stared into the blue eyes of Ron and the green eyes of Harry.
"What time is it?" She asked tumbling off the couch still half wrapped in the blanket.
"Breakfast time." Ron called after her as she did her best not to trip over her blanket while racing up the stairs.
A few minutes later she was bounding down the stairs in her uniform. Her bushy hair was wild about her face and she did her best to try and smooth it down. Ron and Harry were almost out of the common room by the time she caught up to them, a tad bit winded.
Breakfast probably would have been a much livelier affair except for the fact that it was morning and the first day of classes. The twins strolled in a good ten minutes after they had. As they passed the trio they made sure to ruffle each of their hair.
"Know where you're headed today?" George asked. He and Fred took seats opposite their brother and his friends.
Harry and Ron both looked to Hermione. She rolled her eyes and dug into her pocket for a slip of parchment. Pulling it out she smoothed it down on the table.
"That's our schedule. We have all of the same classes. For now at least." She added. "There are some others I wanted to add, but Sirius wanted me to see how the first day went."
"Hermione how could you possibly fit in anymore classes?" Ron asked looking at the schedule that would rule his day for the next year.
"Well, look there's plenty of time." She said pointing at different time slots. "There's an hour open here before lunch and two hours open here before dinner. I could even take an early morning class or late night astronomy." Hermione clapped her hands together keeping them close to her chest as if the excitement really needed to be contained or it would just burst forth.
"You're mental." Ron told her. Before she could retort the twins had launched into directions on how to get to all of their classes. It wasn't so much directions as them arguing over the different pathways to take to get to class.
"Come on you two." Hermione said over the twins squabbling, "We'd better get to class." She stood and picked up her satchel containing all of her books.
"Hermione, your arm's going to fall off by the end of the day." Harry told her.
"There's no possible way you could need all of those books." Ron added as they left the Great Hall.
"Of course there is. What if one of the professors references something from another book or what if some of them want us to do extra reading in other books."
"There is a library you know. You could always go there instead of carrying it around with you." Harry said grinning. Hermione tried to hide a smile at his comment by ducking her head.
"Tomorrow I'll take less books. Promise."
"Good otherwise you might slow us down with all the extra weight. What's our first class?" Ron asked.
"Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall."
"Oi wait up." The trio turned around to see Neville running to catch up to them.
"Alright Neville." Harry said. Neville nodded not quite ready to speak without a little more breath in him.
"Can I walk with you to class?" He finally managed to wheeze out. "I don't want to get lost on my first day."
"Of course you can Neville." Hermione answered. With Neville now added to their group they headed down the hallway following some other students. Along the way they were helped by a few of the ghosts and many of the paintings. Harry was a bit surprised they managed to make it to class at all with everyone trying to be so 'helpful'.
As the end of their first day drew to a close Hermione found herself almost too exhausted to climb the staircase to the portrait of the fat lady.
"You definitely need to take less books tomorrow 'Mione." Ron said as he let her bag slide from his shoulder to land on the ground. She hadn't even been able to pick it up after their last class, so the boys had taken turns carrying it up to the Gryffindor tower.
"Agreed." Harry told her rubbing his shoulder.
"Password dears." Ron muttered the password and the portrait swung open. Ron dragged Hermione's knapsack in behind them and the portrait swung close with a soft thud. Hermione plopped herself down at one of the tables with Harry and Ron following suit. Digging around in her bag, which Ron had dropped next to her seat, she pulled out several books, some rolls of parchment, and quill and ink.
"What in Merlin's beard are you doing?" Ron asked.
"Homework."
"Homework?" Harry and Ron chorused.
"Well, yes we've been given plenty to study already and I don't want to fall behind. Or, well, more behind actually. Think of all the things I need to learn on top of what they're teaching us. Everyone already has a head start by being raised in the Wizarding world and I just learnt what muggle meant a few weeks ago. There's lots of homework to be done."
"Hermione," Harry began, "you're not going to get behind. No one in our year is half as smart as you."
"That's right." Ron agreed, "Plus I doubt anyone is as obsessed with school as you are so even if you were daft you'd still be way ahead than anyone else." Hermione stared at Ron for a minute.
"I think there was a compliment hidden somewhere in that seeming insult." Ron just nodded his head smiling. She shook her head, but a small smile graced her lips.
"Alright, I'll just do a little bit before going to bed. I want to practice the wand movements we learned in Transfiguration and Charms and I want to at least start the essay for Potions and maybe read ahead in our Defense book. Then I'll go to bed."
"That's a little bit?"
"Yes, Ron, that's a little bit."
"Alright, alright. A little bit of homework before bed." Ron said putting his hands up to show he surrendered. Harry reached down and pulled out his Defense book. Ron looked at him, a little betrayed, but took out his Defense book as well.
When Harry and Ron finished reading the chapter for their next Defense class Hermione was just flipping to a section in her Potions book to begin her essay. Without Hermione noticing, Harry and Ron exchanged looks with each other over her head silently agreeing to wait up until Hermione was ready for bed. Harry read another chapter in his Defense book while Ron laid his head on the table and drifted off to sleep.
With her homework complete Hermione looked up to find both of the boys dozing. She gently shook them each awake.
"I'm finished." She announced.
"Finally." Ron said stretching and yawning.
"Bed?" Harry questioned. Hermione nodded.
"Yes, bed." She told them. They each retired to their dorms. Hermione climbed between the cold, itchy sheets and just as the night before she ended up curled on the couch wrapped in a blanket.
Scotland - Hogwarts - September 1991
As the first weeks continued it became clear to all the first years just exactly how smart Hermione was. She raised her hand to answer every question, seemed filled with knowledge on every subject, and got every spell right on her first try. Harry and Ron were used to her excelling. In fact, they liked it quite a lot because it meant she could help them in their studies. There were many though that did not feel the same way as Harry and Ron.
"Why doesn't she give someone else a chance to answer?"
"If I have to listen to her annoying voice in one more class I'm going to scream."
"I guess she has to be smart when she looks like that."
The whispers followed her out of Potions class. With a hand covering her face she took off through the dungeon corridors leaving Harry and Ron behind.
"Hermione!" Harry called after her. Ron whirled around to face the girls that had been gossiping.
"She's in your own house, so much for Gryffindor loyalty." Acting as though Ron's words had no effect on them the girls brushed past, but a quick look at Lavender biting her lip and Parvati hanging her head proved his words had some effect. "You think she headed for the girls' bathroom?" Ron asked turning back to Harry.
"I suppose. Maybe we should give her some time though. She won't want us showing up while she's crying." Harry said.
"I s'ppose." Ron sighed. "Stupid girls. I mean sure Hermione could try to cut back on being a know-it-all, but that's no reason to get all mean about it. Like they'd know the answers to the questions if Hermione didn't raise her hand."
"I know, Ron." Harry assured him. Ron continued to grumble as they left the dungeons in search of the Great Hall for dinner.
Even with an entire feast of delicious food before them the first year Gryffindor boys ate in a subdued manner. Even the girls had little appetite.
"Ron," Lavender began, but stopped short. She really didn't know what to say. "She's just so annoying sometimes. We all know she's smart. She doesn't have to shove it in our faces all the time."
"Well, you don't have to leave her out of everything." Ron countered.
"Or make her sleep in the common room." Harry added.
"We don't make her sleep in the common room." Parvati said. The shock in her voice was evident enough she was telling the truth.
"Then why-" Harry began, but he was cut short when the doors to the Great Hall burst open and a small looking man with a large turban on his head ran in breathless.
"Who's that?" Seamus whispered to the group.
"I think it's one of the new assistant professors." Dean answered. Before they could speculate further he had regained enough breath to shout a warning to everyone.
"In the Dungeons!" He shouted. "A troll, in the dungeons!" and then he promptly collapsed.
Harry and Ron turned to each other immediately after the announcement with the same thought, "Hermione!" Before the Great Hall could erupt into too much chaos Dumbledore stood.
"Everyone return to your common rooms. Prefects care for the first years and get them safely to the common rooms." Dumbledore then turned to the rest of the staff seated at the table. They were all leaving through a door behind the staff table within moments of Dumbledore's announcement.
"We have to find Hermione." Harry whispered to Ron as Percy was busy making sure they all left the Great Hall together.
"With Percy as Prefect we'll never manage that one." Said Ron.
"Need a distraction?" Seamus asked, grinning madly. Harry and Ron shared a smile before nodding. "Alright leave me, Dean, and Neville to it then." Seamus turned to the other boys forming a plan. Harry and Ron fell to the back of the line. They lagged behind as much as possible without Percy yelling at them to stick with the group. A loud explosion from the center of the first years startled them both at first before they realized it was the distraction Seamus had promised them. Ducking down a corridor they took off at a run looking for a staircase that would lead them to the dungeon.
Finding the hall where the girls' bathroom was located was easy compared to the long row of doors the hall presented in which the bathroom could actually be in. A loud scream helped them in their search.
"Hermione." Harry called entering the bathroom. He saw her crouched down in the furthest stall, arms covering her head, as the troll swung his club taking out the tops of every single stall.
"Help!"
Pulling his wand from a fold in his robes Ron aimed it at the troll.
"Wingardium Leviosa." Nothing happened. He shook his wand and tried again. Still nothing. Returning his wand to his robes he stooped down and picked up a chunk of marble slab. With all the strength he could muster he threw it at the troll. Surprisingly enough he managed to hit the troll in the head. The troll turned and stared at him, eyes glazed over with stupidity. The troll swung his club back and a quick thinking Harry grabbed on for dear life. As the troll swung the club down Harry let go, landing on the troll's shoulders. He wrapped his arms around the trolls head to keep steady inadvertently covering the troll's eyes. In a moment of bravery Hermione didn't know she had she stood, drew her wand, and pointed.
"Wingardium Leviosa." The troll's club lifted from his grasp into the air above his head. Hermione broke the spell and the club came crashing down on the troll's head. Luckily, the troll fell forward with Harry landing on top of the troll instead of the troll landing on Harry.
"Hermione that was brilliant!" Ron exclaimed.
"What is going on here?" All three turned to see McGonagall enter the bathroom followed closely by Professor Snape and the man that had announced the arrival of the troll in the school. "Explain yourselves." She said after a few moments of silence.
"It's my fault Professor." Hermione spoke up before Ron or Harry could offer their own feeble excuse.
"Your fault Miss Granger?" McGonagall questioned.
"Yes, Professor. You see Sirius is always telling me about all the great fun he had while he was here and I just wanted to try and live up to his expectations." Hermione lied hoping that Professor McGonagall would buy the poorly thought out story.
"I see. Well 10 points from Gryffindor for your very poor decision. As for you two," she said pinning Harry and Ron with her look, "5 points each for such bravery in defending a friend. Now back to the common room. All of you."
Clearly not satisfied with the outcome of events Snape limped off before the trio could leave the bathroom. Ron elbowed Harry to make sure he saw the limp.
"What do you think that's about?" Ron whispered once they were clear of the professors.
"I don't know, but I know dad's never liked him. You don't think he let the troll in do you?"
"Why would he go and do a thing like that?" Hermione asked. "Honestly you two just because your parents don't like him doesn't mean you need to carry on the tradition. Maybe he hurt his leg looking for the troll."
"Or maybe he hurt it letting the troll in." Ron countered.
"You have no basis for your accusation." Hermione said, exasperated. "You just don't like him because he's mean to us, because he's mean to everyone."
"How can you not think he's the one that would do something as dangerous and evil as letting in a troll?"
"How can you think a teacher would endanger the lives of his students? There's nothing sinister going on. You two are just looking for trouble."
"You better not get angry when we have to say 'I told you so.'" Ron pouted. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Can we just get back to Gryffindor tower in one piece?" She asked.
Scotland - Hogwarts - Letter Home - September 1991
Dear Sirius,
My feet are always cold here at school. I miss home. I've taken to sleeping in the common room mostly. I don't really know any of the girls in my dorm. I'm glad for the company of Harry and Ron and all of their mates. There's Neville Longbottom, he's a quiet bloke. Dean Thomas, his dad's a muggle! And Seamus Finnigan, I think he loves quidditch more than Ron if you can believe it.
You've probably heard already, but I was sorted into Gryffindor. I thought for sure I'd go to Ravenclaw. Perhaps I'm not smart enough. I'm good at muggle subjects, but I really know nothing of magic, so it's probably for the best I got sorted where I did.
I love all of my classes. Don't tell anyone, but potions is my favorite despite Professor Snape. Of course Uncle Remus' class is my favorite as well.
I've been thinking about things I can do when I graduate. There are so many options both muggle and magical. Is there a magical university? Maybe I can continue to study or own a potions shop or bookstore or be a librarian or historian for the ministry. I think Harry should go into politics. Can't you just see him as a future minister of magic? And Ron, if he ever gets his head out of the clouds, would make a fantastic teacher I believe.
There's so much else I want to tell you about my first weeks at school. Especially the whole thing with a troll somehow getting in to the school. I've got to go though, Harry and Ron want to go to dinner.
Hermione
St. Levan, England - Godric's Hollow - The Cottage - Letter to Hermione - September 1991
Dear Hermione,
I know it's probably not reasonable to ask, but if you could write more than once in a few weeks I wouldn't complain. What's this bit about a troll in the castle?
Gryffindor's a great house. The best actually. You're the smartest girl I know so don't start thinking you're not smart enough for Ravenclaw. In fact the Sorting Hat probably felt you were too smart for Ravenclaw. Here's something I know you'll enjoy, go to the library and research the origins of the Gryffindor house. I think you'll find it very interesting and enlightening.
I'm glad to hear that classes are going well. I wouldn't start worrying about after graduation just yet. You still have six years after this one. As for magical universities there's not a university just for witches and wizards. However, I do know there are magical departments at several universities. I'm sure they'll talk about it in your fifth year at school when the classes you take determine career options.
Have you tired getting to know the girls in your dorm? Maybe sleeping in your bed instead of the common room will help you to get to know each other better.
Things here are pretty normal. James and I are working on a surprise for the three of you when you return for the holidays. Molly seems beside herself with only one child at home who knows what she'll be like when Ginny leaves for Hogwarts next year. Let me know if you need anything. Molly sent me some treats to send you. Enjoy them. Ron and Harry are being sent their own so don't let them talk you into giving them yours. Let me know if you need anything. See you in a few months.
Sirius
Scotland - Hogwarts - Letter Home - October 1991
Dear Sirius,
I will do my best to write more often, but I'm trying to stay on top of my studies and I've no idea what I would do if I fell behind. As far as the troll is concerned not much happened. Harry, Ron, and I managed to defeat it without so much as getting a scratch. Those two seem to think Professor Snape had something to do with the troll getting into the castle. It's utterly ridiculous and nonsensical. I mean Professor Snape does have his flaws, many in fact, but they just go around accusing anyone they don't like. It makes them almost as bad as him. And don't get me started on their hatred for Malfoy. Everyone knows he's a git, but that doesn't mean they need to go looking for a fight. Malfoy even challenged Harry to a duel and so we were all sneaking about in the middle of the night and were nearly caught. We ducked into a room on the third floor, which is forbidden. We found out why. There was a three headed dog hidden away in the room!
Sirius why does Headmaster Dumbledore have a creature like that in the castle? And why was it guarding some sort of trapped door? I just want to go to school and not get mixed up in anymore half-brained adventures. It seems pretty difficult though with Harry and Ron as friends.
Hermione
St. Levan, England - Godric's Hollow - The Cottage - Letter to Hermione - October 1991
Dear Hermione,
I'd like for you to keep safe. I wouldn't expect you to always keep out of trouble as I got into my fair share of scrapes. As for the questions you've asked me those are for Dumbledore to answer.
I know this letter is brief, but I'm getting ready to leave on business for a bit. If you don't hear from me for a week or so don't worry. I'll do my best to respond to any letters while I'm away. Take care, Hermione. See you in a few months.
Sirius