Revealed

"I have attempted to speak to Orion, but he refuses to meet with me. I am uncertain, but he may be imperiused. Walburga may disavow that he is her son, but she cannot disown him completely. I am the head of our branch of the Blacks, and I refuse to disown my nephew. I don't have any children of my own, but after my death the estate will go to Cygnus. I can't change any of that, it's the way the estate's tied up. There is some money that doesn't belong to the estate, and I have two properties that aren't entailed. I can give those to Sirius so that he'll have something, anyway. We have casks of betrothal jewelry in the vaults, and none of Cygnus' girls will need it, so that's covered as well," Alphard spoke smoothly to Charlus, listing all of Sirius' assets. Hermione sat there impassively, listening silently while they discussed his future. She was so angry, she didn't trust her voice at the moment. It was better that she stay silent.

"Hermione has an extremely comfortable dowry, and four dower homes. She also has her own vault at Gringott's with an inheritance from an aunt who was always fond of her. All in all, any future children would be well cared for," Charlus said calmly. Lily's mouth dropped open and she turned to stare at Hermione who was still refusing to look at anyone in the room. She glanced at Sirius, who was watching Hermione, and looking slightly nervous.

"I see no objection to such a match," Alphard said calmly. Charlus nodded in agreement. "Princess?"

"Hermione?" Dorea Potter touched her daughter on the shoulder. She stood, and tossed her curls over her shoulder.

"It doesn't matter does it," she said coldly, sweeping all of them with her icy gaze. "My assent isn't required."

"Hermione!" Dorea and Charlus exclaimed angrily. She turned to look at them, her face tight with her displeasure.

"No one's bothered to ask me until now, which is a bit late, father," she snapped. Then she went rigid. Lily gasped in dread and jumped to her feet. Everyone stared at Lily and then turned back to Hermione and their eyes all widened in absolute horror. Hermione's eyes had turned black, and she was breathing erratically. Lily ran to parlor door.

"JAMES!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, and then she hurried back to Hermione. James came tearing into the parlor and when he saw his sister, he blanched, but hurried over to her.

"My Own?" he whispered touching her arm. Her skin was icy, and she shivered.

"It's still summer, I think," she muttered, frowning slightly. "I can see a house, but I don't recognize it. It…oh…it's a…a muggle home. Macnair and Avery are here." Her face twisted in hate. "Pettigrew, the bloody traitor, is with them. Oh…he's meant to prove himself. Oh, Sweet Merlin, no. Not the children, please!"

Hermione collapsed into James' arms shuddering and crying against him. James stroked her back and murmured in her ear. Lily crouched down by the both of them and rubbed Hermione's back. They looked at one another in fear and then looked back down at Hermione, ignoring everyone else in the room.

"James," Charlus Potter's voice was a whisper, and James looked up at his father. Naked fear was on his father's face. "Who knows?"

"Just us, Dad," James said firmly. "No one else."

"How long?" Dorea asked faintly, her eyes wide.

"It's something that sort of just started," Lily said looking down at her friend. "I know that's not how it normally works, but she doesn't remember it happening before."

"Charlus," Dorea whispered. Charlus looked at her and nodded. They turned to Alphard.

"I'm sorry to waste your time," Charlus said in a rough voice. Alphard blinked and turned to Sirius.

"Have you changed your mind, nephew?" Alphard asked gently. Sirius' eyes had never left Hermione's form. He turned to look at his uncle in confusion.

"What? No," he said with a shake of his head, turning back to her. "Never."

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you, Padfoot," James said, his cheeks flushed. Sirius shook his head.

No, it was better, safer," Sirius said firmly. He turned to Alphard. "Uncle…because of the family, I think it might be best if you and I did Unbreakable Vows."

"Hermione will do them," Lily spoke with unconscious authority. "As soon as she recovers."

"Are you sure that you still want to do this, Sirius," Dorea asked him cautiously. "We would not think any less of you, if you changed your mind, son."

"I'm not changing my mind," Sirius bit out between clenched teeth, his eyes still on Hermione.

"What are you talking about?" James asked, glancing between Sirius and his father.

"He's requested permission to formally court Hermione, with intent to offer," Dorea said softly, glancing at her husband's white face, "and I believe we are going to accept."

"I wanted to talk to Hermione," Charlus muttered, running a hand through his wild hair, "but this changes everything. There's no one else I would trust with Hermione except Sirius."

"Excellent. I shall contact the family's lawyers tomorrow and begin the paperwork," Alphard said with a pleased smile. Sirius had heard what Charlus said, and he stood there stunned. That Mr. Potter trusted him enough to protect Hermione knowing that she was a Seer overwhelmed him for a minute. He blinked rapidly and tried to get himself under control. He cleared his throat and his Uncle Alphard clapped him on the back. "You'll have to come along, Sirius. I'll need your signature on a lot of it."

"Of course, sir," Sirius murmured, his eyes back on Hermione. She stirred in James' arms, moaning in pain.

"Shhh, My Own, don't move your head," James was murmuring softly to her.

"Oh, Jamie," she said sadly. James' face was hard.

"I heard," he said coldly. "You never liked him. I should have known."

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, tears slipping down her cheeks. James shook his head and hugged her tightly.

"Don't worry about it, not right now. We've got bigger things," James muttered in her ear. She raised her tear streaked face and saw her parents, their faces frozen in fear, and Alphard and Sirius, quietly watching.

"That's over then," Hermione guessed. "I suppose I could be the maiden aunt to all your children."

"No, princess. In fact, due to the circumstances I shall be throwing my weight into having it sped up. Hopefully we can have you wed within two years instead of four," Charlus said firmly. Hermione paled.

"You what?" She whispered, in shock. She turned to Sirius. "You don't still want to do this?"

"Yes," he said flatly. She frowned at him.

"Have you lost your mind?" She asked him tartly. He glared at her.

"I am in full control of my faculties," he growled at her. She snorted.

"Doubtful. You do realize that as soon as he finds out, I'm dead." Hermione stated as baldly as possible. She wanted to shock him—to make him realize how dangerous this was going to be. She heard her mother whimper, and immediately felt the veriest bitch.

"I don't care," Sirius said flatly. "I'm not changing my mind."

"Fine," she snapped. She turned to her father. "Do it. If he's that much of an idiot, do it."

HP/HG/HP

You know, I think that has to be the least romantic marriage proposal I have ever seen in my entire life…well…and my, er, afterlife, too.

Circe's knickers, I'm not officially engaged yet. Our families have agreed that it's acceptable for him to court me, and if he offers for my hand, we'll entertain the offer seriously. It's what the wizarding world does instead of the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing. That relationship isn't really recognized by the older people in our world.

Are you allowed to see anyone else while Sirius courts you?

No, of course not. This is the beginning of the betrothal process.

So…he's announcing that he wants to be engaged to you?

Yes, basically. On a positive note, as soon as I start receiving betrothal jewelry, all of the pureblood and halfblood girls will back off. Then it will just be the muggleborns who don't quite get it.

Oh, well that's good. Wait a minute! You said Lucius was courting you, in fourth year. Was that the same thing?

Sort of, I think if things had been different, he would have asked his father to offer for me.

You were almost engaged to Lucius Malfoy?

No. Not really. We both knew it couldn't really go beyond the courting stage. His father had already made commitments for their family with Voldemort.

But still…you could have been Draco's mum…ew!

If I had been Draco's mother, he would have been an exemplary child, and he most likely would not have been named Draco. That whole naming children after constellations is a Black thing. It actually shows you what a loving husband Lucius Malfoy is—he allowed his wife to name their first-born son, who turned out to be their only child. Either that or he used Black naming customs to name the boy, which still shows a great deal of affection for his wife, or concern for her feelings.

Fine. Lucius Malfoy is bloody brilliant. You know, except for the whole 'Death Eater let's watch this poor muggleborn girl get tortured in my house' sort of thing.

He's not that man, and hopefully he never will be.

By the way, way to go, outing Peter like that. James wants to beat him to death, I think.

It was an accident. I'm not sure if that was a good thing, or not. I won't be able to use him as an asset now.

Why not?

If what we're doing is ever discovered, Sirius and James would never, ever forgive me. They would feel as though I betrayed them myself.

What Sirius thinks of you matters a lot, does it?

I think we've established that.

Mmmm. Can you guys do the kissing thing again? I've never seen anything like that before.

I'm actually worried about that. I'm not sure what it means. I plan on spending a great deal of my summer in the Potter family library, researching. Oooh. Maybe I can use that as an excuse to go to the dower houses. That might work…and because all the houses are warded Mum and Dad can't complain.

Oh, I love researching!

HP/HG/HP

That summer, Dorea and Charlus Potter were torn between wanting to lock Hermione away to protect her, and trying to act as though everything were normal so that no one would find out about her newly discovered talents. The tea parties became a source of contention between the two of them. Dorea argued that if she and Hermione suddenly stopped going, everyone would wonder why. Charlus gnashed his teeth, and James and Sirius joined him in arguing adamantly against it, but in the end, Dorea was triumphant. Lily had never been to one of these tea parties before, and she was slightly nervous about the whole thing. Dorea and Hermione had laughed, and asked the house elves to create a practice tea party.

"So," Hermione drawled, taking a delicate sip of her tea, and peering at Lily through a lorgnette, "Evans is an unusual last name. What was your mother's name?"

"Haversham, er, ma'am," Lily said promptly, and took a small sip of tea. Dorea looked at her over her tea cup, and narrowed her eyes.

"Haversham, that's not a wizarding name, is it," Dorea drawled coolly, her lovely hazel eyes growing icy. Lily shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"No, it isn't," she said softly.

"I see," Hermione said dryly, nibbling daintily at a chocolate biscuit. "You're a rather plain girl, aren't you? Your wrists are bony. Pity that."

"I've never really thought about it, ma'am," Lily said with determined politeness.

"I expect not," murmured Dorea, glancing at Hermione, who nodded just slightly. Lily put down her teacup with a loud clink.

"They…they aren't really like this are they?" Lily asked faintly. Dorea snorted.