Attack

It was a Hogsmeade weekend, and for the first time in years, Hermione and Lily were alone. The Marauders were trying to process the information dump that they'd received, but it was slow going. True, it had only been a few days, but Hermione's heart ached for every second of it. Remus seemed to understand more than James or Sirius did, and several times he had given Lily and Hermione gentle smiles. They had smiled uncertainly back at him. He still sat with them in the library even if there wasn't a lot of talking that went on among them. Several times, Hermione felt as though she were being watched, but she put that down to the Marauders. Well, that and the fangirls who seemed to be able to scent that there was something wrong between her and Sirius. Hermione tried to shake the feeling that she was being watched as she and Lily made their way to Hogsmeade, but the sensation prickled along her skin. She frowned to herself and grabbed for Lily's hand.

"Are you all right, Hermione?" Lily asked with concern. Hermione sighed.

"I'm not sure," she replied. "I feel odd."

"Do you want to go back?" Lily asked her. Hermione shook her head.

"No, of course not. I want to see if my book is in at Vortiger's. I can't wait to see here," Hermione said excitedly. Lily's laughter pealed out.

"This time, try not to read it in Transfiguration. I thought McGonagall was going to have a litter of kittens right there! If you hadn't been able to perform the spell perfectly, she would have had you!" Lily admonished her, shaking a finger at her blood-sister. Hermione snorted. The day she didn't know exactly what to do in any of the classes hadn't come yet. She was about to sit her NEWTs, about to graduate, and she felt calm about the whole thing.

Spring was always a beautiful season in Hogsmeade, Hermione decided, looking around at the budding leaves and festive flowers. Lily and Hermione were making a bee-line for Vortiger's Used Books when a younger student approached Lily with a question. Lily stopped automatically, and glanced toward Hermione who made shooing motions and turned toward Vortiger's. She opened the door and inhaled deeply. That book smell mixed with wood and incense immediately calmed her. She made her way cheerfully up to the counter and bantered easily with Mr. Vortiger. Her book was in, and her wide smile was returned while he teased her about staying up all night to read her new acquisition. She gave her low, throaty chuckle and assured him that she wouldn't read all night. When Hermione stepped out of Vortiger's, she didn't see Lily, but she wasn't worried. She'd probably gone to the Three Broomsticks so that she could sit and talk to the younger student. Old Hermione recalled that mentoring younger students was an important facet of prefect duty. Hermione Potter was glad to not have to worry about it. She had far too much on her plate right now, anyway. She was near Honeyduke's when she felt the strange sensation that accompanied a vision beginning to descend upon her. No! Not in the middle of Hogsmeade. Hermione frantically looked for somewhere, anywhere to be and ducked into a nearby alley. In her panic, she didn't notice the beady eyes watching her, or hear the scurry of little feet follow her deeper into the alley. She slid down the dirty stone wall, her eyes wide and turning black, her breath coming in uneven pants as the vision came to her.

Hermione recognized the uniforms of Aurors, and the slightly different uniforms of the Aurors-in-training. She started slightly as she realized that the two young Aurors-in-training were James and Sirius. They were hurrying after their supervisors, and both young men looked slightly nervous. They apparated to Diagon Alley, and Hermione raced after them, struggling to keep up as they ran toward the fighting that had broken out in the streets. He was there, and he looked nothing like the Voldemort that Old Hermione knew. He looked as though he might have been handsome at one time, but the dead eyes that watched the carnage around him with mild amusement made her sick. When he saw James' those eyes became covetous. Hermione felt violent rage sweep through her body at that point. He would not have James. He would not! Voldemort moved so that he was only a few feet from her James, and able to converse with him while the Aurors tried to contain the situation. Sirius and James had been instructed to be careful and not do anything too stupid.

"Potter," he said in his cold voice. "Why waste your time with the Ministry? You're a powerful wizard; you should be where your talents will be put to good use."

"You mean where my money will be put to good use?" James countered, a sneer on his lips. "I think not."

"A man of your breeding should be able to understand what I'm trying to offer," Voldemort argued persuasively.

"I'm marrying a muggleborn witch," James said flatly. "I didn't think that was exactly your cup of tea."

"I'm willing to make allowances for talent," Voldemort said with a slight smile.

"The money in the Potter vaults probably soothes the pain a bit, too," James sneered, disgust evident on his face.

"You would be wise to consider the offer," Voldemort said smoothly. "Think about it."

"I have thought about it," James snarled. "And I say: go bugger yourself, you psychotic bastard!"

"Pity," Voldemort said with mock sadness, and cast a hex at James, who blocked it and sent one of his own. Voldemort was toying with James; Hermione could tell that this was some sort of deranged game to him. Her hands itched for her wand, even if she knew it wouldn't work here.

Hermione came out of her vision as she usually did, shuddering slightly. She didn't think she'd said anything out loud this time, which was unusual for her. She blinked several times, but she couldn't see. Her hands came up to her face immediately, or at least they tried to, but she couldn't move her hands, she was magically bound. She whimpered in panic and she realized she couldn't speak either; someone had cast a silencio charm on her. Fear overwhelmed her. Where was she? Who had taken her while she was vulnerable in the middle of a vision? Whoever it was knew exactly what she was, and their kidnapping of her did not bode well for their intentions.

HP/HG/HP

"Are you ever going to forgive her?" Remus asked quietly as he walked through Hogsmeade with Sirius.

"For what? Trying to save my brother? Or trying to make sure that Voldemort doesn't know about her and try to kill her?" Sirius demanded with a sarcastic edge to his voice. Then he sighed heavily. "There's nothing for me to forgive. I just…I'm trying to deal with all of the feelings I have about this. On the one hand, I'm her wizard—I should be the one protecting her, not bloody Snape. On the other hand, I haven't been her wizard as long as he's been a Death Eater, so I can't really complain there, even if I really, really want to. Then there's my brother. I know what she means. I grew up in a Dark House. I know the kind of machinations that go on behind the doors and I'm just not up to it, I never have been. There's no way I could pretend to be disappointed or angry with Regulus when I'm not. I'd give it all away. Not Reg, he's a born actor—a dyed in the wool Slytherin."

"You think you would have failed her, and that she is somehow disappointed in you?" Remus thought he understood why Sirius had been so quiet and withdrawn.

"She knew I would fail her!" Sirius exploded, anger at himself spilling over onto Remus.

"It's not a failure, to love others. To be able to wear your emotions publicly," Remus said firmly. Sirius growled.

"It is when it would kill her," Sirius raged. Remus shook his head.

She took the precautions she thought were necessary. Think about the oaths Lily oversaw. We swore fealty to her. She can order us to do something and the oath will enforce compliance. She can order you to treat Regulus as you do normally, and you'll be able to do it," Remus pointed out. Sirius frowned.

"Why didn't she do that in the first place, then?" Sirius demanded. Remus frowned.

"Probably her Seer's ability. She must have waited until it was the right time," Remus mused. "It's logical and it sounds like her."

"It does," Sirius muttered, rolling his eyes.

"You know she's worried that you'll end up hating her," Remus said softly. "I can see her watch you, and she's wary."

"You're watching my witch?" Sirius asked coolly, his gaze narrowed on Remus' face. Remus snorted at him.

"She's not my type," Remus said dryly. "So she's still yours, then?"

"Always," Sirius muttered under his breath in irritation.

"Right," Remus acknowledged. Sirius blinked and turned to his friend.

"I miss her," he said softly.

"It's only been four days," Remus pointed out. Sirius frowned.

"Feels like longer," he pouted.

"I know," Remus groaned with feeling. When Sirius growled at him Remus cuffed him on the shoulder. "No, you git. I mean you and James are driving me spare. Go, make up with your girls. For Merlin's sake, if it will give me some peace and quiet in our dorm room I'm willing to do almost anything."

"Maybe I should just talk to her," Sirius suggested. Remus nodded.

"I think that's a brilliant idea. Let's do it now," he said eagerly, and dragged Sirius toward the Three Broomsticks. Lily and James were sitting at a quiet little table tucked in the back corner, snogging each other's brains out. Remus and Sirius looked at one another and sighed. They walked over to the table and cleared their throats. Loudly. Finally, Remus reached out and shook James' arm.

"Prongs!" Sirius practically shouted. The couple burst apart and blushed deeply. Sirius turned to Lily. "Where's Hermione?"

"She…she wanted to check and see if her book order was in at Vortiger's," Lily said in surprise. "You didn't see her in the village?"

"No," Remus said with a shake of his sandy hair.

James stood up immediately and the Marauders headed toward the door. Lily followed after them quickly. At the book shop she questioned Mephistopheles Vortiger who said that, yes, Miss Potter's book had come in, and that Miss Potter had picked it up and paid for it. They searched Hogsmeade from one end to the other, with Sirius ducking behind some bushes and changing into Padfoot so that he could search out her scent. He traced her to an empty alleyway where he found her book, still in its brown-paper wrapping. He changed back and picked up the book in shaking hands. They all stared at it, and Sirius looked to James.

"Where is she?" He whispered, his fingers tightening on the only tangible evidence he had.