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3,778Chapter 14: Sand Dragons and Conch Shells

A/N: Ok, I lied. I will at least un-cliffy the last chapter before continuing on. Sorry about that!

Chapter 14: Sand Dragons and Conch Shells

20th of June, 2009

Harry woke groggily to sun in his face in the Hospital wing. The feeling was so familiar that it seemed like home. Ron had even joked that they should have just carved their names into the beds with the regularity that one or three of them ended up there. Madam Pomfrey had always shook her head, tutting about "what have you gotten yourselves into this time?" and then proceeded to treat whatever ailment they had gained "mysteriously" by "tripping" or "accident."

"Oh, Harry," Hermione's voice chided him. It was so familiar and normal. "I imagine this is a bit much to take."

Harry's eyes shot open completely and he stared into the grey eyes of she that was Hermione and yet not Hermione. "Hermione?"

"Of course, Harry," she said gently, the familiar warmth that made his heart ache was there.

"I woke up in the room with all the albums," Harry blurted. "Your blood was on the wall. Ron was gone. You were gone. I thought he'd hurt you, dragged you off some where… I sent you owls, but they all came back. I sent patroni, and they just swirled around me and dissipated…"

Hermione's grey eyes flashed with the mention of Ron. "He did, of sorts, drag me off somewhere, but not in the way he planned, I think." She looked out the open window. "I've had a few decades to think on it, and I'm pretty sure had he known what he did was going to do, he wouldn't have done it."

"So you remember me," Harry said. "You remember what I remember?"

Hermione tilted her head. "I do remember who I once was, just as you do. Severus thinks it was the blood combined that did it. That and the combination of being thrown into the family tree with whatever homemade curse Ron used to do it."

"Wait… Snape knows?"

"Professor Snape, Harry," Hermione said so automatically that Harry knew this person who looked so much like Hermione yet not was still the Hermione he knew. "Blood magic is strongest with intent, and apparently whatever Ron was thinking when he cast that spell had some lousy intent."

Harry shook his head. "But Remus is is alive… Snape is alive, and you… let Malfoy kiss your hand."

Hermione furrowed her brows. "You would focus on that, Harry," she scolded. "Lucius has watched over me since I was eleven, and you'll find that just about every male of certain standing does that, I fear."

Harry shook his head, a part of him not digesting the information very well at all.

Hermione closed her eyes, moving her head down and shaking it. When she opened them, she used her hand to move the black curls away from her finely chiselled face. "I watched you grow up, you know," she said after a moment. "Every day, I wondered if you knew anything. If you remembered me. If anyone… remember the witch that had been Hermione Granger. But, I realised that it was good that you had your normal life—a life that didn't mean you being stuffed in a small cupboard under the stairs."

Harry frowned. When he thought about his childhood it was hazy. It was almost as though he were trying to catch tadpoles with his hands. They slipped through his fingers.

"As the days go on, you'll start to do things you never thought you'd do. Greet people in ways you don't remember doing. Understanding people that would have made your toes curl before," Hermione explained. "It will happen so slowly that you won't even notice, and all that panic you think should be there won't be."

Harry stared at her. "So it's true then… you really are—"

"Hermione Ankaa Black of the most Ancient and Noble House of Black," Hermione said with a chuckle. "Aye, Harry. It is true."

Harry struggled to sit up, and once accomplished, simply stared at her. Suddenly his fist clenched and jaw tightened. "Ron. Tell me you did something. Tell me he didn't just get away with it."

Hermione smirked as a dark swirl of robes materialised beside her. Snape looked down at him with a dispassionate air.

"Mr. Weasley couldn't have given himself a better punishment if I had cursed it into him myself," Severus said with a curl of his lips. The expression was so familiar that it actually made Harry relax.

Harry blinked. "What happened to Ron?"

Hermione and Snape exchanged glances.

A strangely predatory look crossed Hermione's face. "He grew up… with us as his teachers, and I remember every lazy habit and trick he ever did the first time around."

Harry's eyes went wide, trying to fathom what it would be like for Hermione to his professor at Hogwarts. And, as if flipping through a book, he remembered her standing at the front of the classroom, teaching them how to turn mice into snuffboxes. He remembered Ron being called on every time he started to talk to Harry instead of focus on his studies. He remembered Snape giving him detention every time he mumbled unflattering insults in what he thought was under his breath.

"Five points from Gryffindor, Mr. Weasley, for your cheek," Snape growled.

"I'm sure that Ms. Brown's perfume is undoubtedly attractive, Mr. Weasley, but I recommend you focus on your task at hand, unless you would prefer to write your sonnets to her during detention with me this evening." Hermione's voice dripped venom as she caught Ron oogling at Lavender Brown during Transfiguration class.

"Do you know what is going to be interesting, Harry?" Hermione asked softly.

Harry shook his head.

"There is a good chance," she said with a smirk, "that Ron will start remembering just enough of Hermione Granger to question his sanity." Who, after all, would accuse a member of the Ancient and Noble House of Black as being a Muggle Born? Hermione Ankaa Black was born and raised into the Black family. Hermione Granger… was a memory of a timeline that never happened. All because of Ron.

Who could he tell that would believe him? Who could he tell that wouldn't get him put into Azkaban for a crime so unforgiveable that it would probably be written down in the history of unforgiveables? No, Ron would have to suffer it alone, knowing exactly what he did, and forced to see Hermione throughout two separate histories. Both Hermiones would find him distasteful. Both would never be his to have.

Harry had to admit. If you were cruising to give yourself a horrible lifetime tormenting curse, Ron had accomplished a great feat that would never actually be known. What an irony. Ron's greatest feat of magic would never be believed.

Severus touched Hermione on the shoulder. "Perhaps, we should invite your… 'old friend' to dinner, Hermione," he rumbled softly. "Remus is threatening to make lasagna. It would a pity if we could not inflict it upon others."

"Severus!" Hermione scoffed. "He cooks perfectly well," she chuckled into her hand.

"For a mongrel who prefers to bathe his prey in drool before eating it, perhaps," Severus huffed.

"He bathes us in drool every moon night," Hermione admonished. "And he hasn't eaten us yet."

"Yet," Severus snorted, looking up to the ceiling.

Hermione wrapped her arms around Snape's waist pressed her head against his chest. "Behave, Severus. We've had forty years to come to terms. Harry has had one day. Most of which was unconscious with a hangover."

Severus' face twitched, but he wrapped his arm around her and exhaled, tucking her under his chin. "Fine."

Hermione kissed him tenderly on the cheek. "It's bad enough he's having a coronary because your arms are around my waist and I just kissed you on the cheek." She flicked her eyes over to where Harry was staring bug-eyed at her.

Hermione smiled at Harry with amusement. "First, we're the same age, Harry. We've been the best of friends since we were eleven. You can thank Lily for introducing us. Second, you're invited to dinner with us tonight. Hopefully Poppy will be kind enough to set you free before then, otherwise we will have to bring the lasagna to you."

Harry just nodded dumbly.

"We could strap the picnic basket to the wolf and let him carry it," Severus said without a change in expression.

Hermione swatted Severus on the arm, glaring at him with laughing eyes.

As Harry looked into his old Potion Master's eyes as the Dark wizard's black eyes bored into Hermione, he saw something that he never expected to see: warmth.

A crack of a smile crept into Harry's expression, even through the shock. Oh, Ron, you sodding idiot. You really did turn the Wizarding world on its arse.

He stared at Hermione touch Severus on the cheek and run her finger down his aquiline nose.

Arse over kettle. Definitely.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Monday, December 20th, 1971

"Hermione!" a blur of motion was the only thing Hermione saw before she was tackled in mid stride through the front door.

"Eaguh!" Hermione managed to articulate as her younger and exuberant brother ploughed into her with due haste.

Hermione flailed as she was attacked by her brother, and she laughed as she dropped her bags and engulfed him into a hug of her own. "Regulus! Let me breathe!"

Regulus just squeezed her harder, causing Hermione to wheeze slightly.

"Enough, my son," Orion called from the stairs as he came down them. "I would prefer that my daughter did not expire on her first visit home.

Regulus pulled away reluctantly, obvious wanting to glean all of Hermione's adventures through osmosis as quickly as possible.

"Welcome home, my chick," Orion greeted warmly, opening his arms to her.

Hermione wasted no time running to his embrace, practically tackling him with the same enthusiasm that Regulus has show her.

Her father's arm enfolded her with the warmth he never failed to give. "It is good to see you home safe."

"Father," she said, rolling her face against his shoulder.

"And who is this, my chick? A straggler or a guest?" Orion's face was amused. He stroked his beard with a thoughtful gaze.

"Father," Hermione said after a moment, shuffling over to tug Severus in from the doorway. "This is Severus Snape. One of my fellow Housemates and friends. Severus, this is my father, Orion Black."

Severus made a formal half bow at the waist. "Thank you for your kind invitation to visit your home, Lord Black."

Orion smirked, then straighted his posture, giving an imperial nod. "Be welcome in my home, friend of my daughter. A friend is a treasure beyond measure in this family. I will trust that my daughter's faith in you is deserved."

An orange fuzzball with batlike ears and a lionlike tail bounced down the stairs, chasing a ball down the steps.

"Ah," Orion said, picking up the wayward Kneazle in a scooping motion. "This is Denebola. He will probably be in whatever chair you want to sit in. You have my permission to extract him if this comes to pass."

Severus smirked and nodded to the elder Black.

Orion let the wriggling Kneazle down after a few pats. "Where is your twin, my chick?" Orion asked as Regulus rescooped up the Kneazle and carried him by the waist into the next room to place him on the nearby chair. The Kneazle meowed in protest, but tolerated the boy's rough handling.

Regulus came back, brushing the orange fur off himself and then extended his hand to Severus. "I'm Regulus! You're Hermione's friend? She says you're really smart! Will you teach me something?"

Orion smirked as Severus' brows furrowed, unsure what to say or do. Deciding to go on the side of caution, he grasped Regulus' hand and inclined his head. "Pleasure to make your aquaintence, young Lord Black," he said politely.

"You can call me Regulus! Or Reg. Sometimes mum calls me Brat, but I don't think you're supposed to know that," Regulus gushed out at once.

Orion tilted back his head and guffawed. "Now, my son, perhaps you can show our honoured guest to his room, hrm? Instead of trapping him in our entryway?"

Regulus bounced. "I'll take your bags!" he said excitedly, grabbed one of Severus' trunks and dragged it off down the hallway. "This way!" he said without looking back.

Severus looked to Hermione for guidance, and she chuckled, gesturing for him to follow her exuberant brother.

Orion was luring Sagacity over to a new perch he had made for him. The owl was happily devouring what could have been a large frog.

Kreacher popped into view to take Hermione's coat, and Hermione tackled him with a full hug, squeezing him tight. "Hello, Kreacher! Thank you for the cookies!"

The house-elf blushed and shuffled, muttering something under his breath as he put away the coats, but Hermione could tell that the house-elf was happy to see her home again.

"Your mother sends her apologies that she will be out for the next few days," Orion said as Hermione flopped in her favourite armchair. "An old friend was sent to St. Mungo's. Attacked on the streets by Muggles, I fear."

"Muggles?" Hermione asked. "That's horrible. What happened?"

Orion shook his head. "She is not the only one, however, most of those attacked seem to be Muggles. Lady Dougherty was simple in the wrong place at the wrong time, the Aurors say."

Hermione frowned. "Should I sent an owl and perhaps some flowers, father? I did not know her well, but I know mother attends her socials from time to time."

Orion nodded. "That would be fitting of you, daughter. Perhaps you, your friend, and Regulus would like to run the errand together before the shops close.

Hermione smiled and nodded. "Of course, Father."

As if summoned by the very thought of going shopping, Regulus showed up at the entryway with Severus in tow. The younger boy was dragging the baffled wizard by the sleeve. He cast a desperate glance to Hermione that spoke of "help," "what do I do now?" and "he's touching me!"

Hermione shook her head.

"Well, we will wait for your twin to return home before the major shopping for the holiday takes place, my chick," Orion said, pulling his travel cape. "But, nothing says we have to sit here like toadstools on a log."

Regulus gave a whoop, letting go of Severus' sleeve in order to run to get his coat.

Hermione placed her hand on Severus' shoulder and smiled at him.

The dark-eyed wizard leaned into her touch, a quirk of a smile upon his lips.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Orion Black stabbed the shade umbrella into the sand and laughed as Regulus chased his sister into the ocean surf. Hermione's quiet friend held the picnic basket and one of the other supply trunks, setting them down under the umbrella as Orion erected a bunch of beach chairs for their lounging pleasure. It was a family tradition to take the children to a warm southernly beach during the cold months for a couple of days, and this year was no exception.

The particular beach was unplottable by Muggles, and it made for a safe place for his children to frolic along the shore and not worry about breaking the secrecy laws.

Hermione's young friend, Orion realised, was a quiet sort. He attended his daughter with the devotion of a silent body guard, cracking a smile whenever he thought no one was looking. He had manners, somewhat awkward as if he had recently learned them, but he was trying hard to integrate them that Orion took no offence when he stumbled a bit over them. Regulus had glued himself to Severus like a tick on a hound, adoring the boy with silent and not so silent adoration.

He caught Regulus trying to imitate his posture and his mannerisms, and Orion had to admit that the quiet Slytherin friend of his daughter was a better role model than Hermione's twin, even if he was a bit shy and stoic in comparison to his youngest son. Perhaps, a bit of self control would be a good thing for Regulus.

As Severus shuffled off to join Hermione in burying Regulus in the sand, Orion pondered the wanderings of his eldest son. Sirius, in his determination to be independent of his family name and reputation, seemed to be wear rebel on his mannerisms like one would wear a coat. He shunned his heritage, bent or broke as many rules as possible, and seemed determined to give his mother and father as many migraines as possible. Privately he wondered if they had been too permissive to him as a child, making him less able to handle rules when he was older, but then again, they had been the same to Hermione in regards to rules and upbringing and she never tried to dance on top of a bar counter in some random Muggle biker's leather jacket.

Walburga would have died on the spot if her daughter had done such a thing.

He smiled at the thought. Hermione had, in her own way, widdled away at her parent's views, changing them to be more tolerant in many ways. She had charmed Orion from the moment she came out of the womb, practically weaving her serpentine fingers around his heart and claiming it for her own. Even Walburga, whose excellent command of venom when it came to "common peasantry," had been slowly turned to more of tolerance with their daughter's infinite sense of tolerance as a child.

Hermione, as a toddler, had taken to clinging to her parents legs as she learned to walk, and every time she almost toppled, she would cling to whoever was near. This was, thankfully, usually her parents or her twin. Her parents were entirely acceptable. Her twin, however, went toppling to the ground and usually attempted to punch his twin in the face as he tried to scramble back up. What usually happened after her brother socked her on the nose would be her face screwing up in bafflement, then pain, then a loud wail would pierce the air of the entire park. Muggles from all over would come running to "rescue" her, and by the time it was all said and done, she had charmed them into her willing slaves within moments of them meeting her shiny grey eyes and her small almost chubby hands touched her new newest ally's face in wonder. So while Walburga had her hands full keeping Sirius from slugging his sister, unintentionally or no, Hermione had learned to sway the tide to her favour. She was a Black. There was no doubt. She would command the very stars to do her bidding, and they would obey willingly.

Orion smiled, but his thoughts returned to his son. His eyes flicked to the distant part of the beach where his son romped with his friends. Instead of hanging out with them, Orion noted, Sirius hijacked the family owl, messaged his friends to meet him at the beach, and was now laughing and playing at the far end of the Wizarding beach, as far from his family as possible. Part of him had to hand it to his son for knowing exactly what beach to tell his friends to meet him at, while the other part pondered what kind of parents just allowed their kids to make sudden plans to meet each other on a foreign beach… Orion was, at least, watching them out of the corner of his eyes to make sure they weren't getting into too much trouble.

Orion sighed. At least Walburga was off being a dutiful friend at St. Mungo's. She didn't have to see her elder son ignoring his family for his school friends without even asking for permission to saunter off and do so. He wondered if there was ever going to be some reconciliation between Sirius and his family that would not end with his wife screaming her head off and sending his other two children hiding in the wardrobe with the house-elf. He loved his wife, but there were far more times Walburga lost her patience with Sirius than kept her cool.

Cheerful laughs and squeals broke his thoughts as Regulus busted out of the sand and pounced on his sister, pinning her down as Severus piled sand on top of her. She screamed in indignation, but he saw her smiles and didn't worry overly much. He knew, soon enough, she would break free as she always did, and turn the tables once more.

Sagacity, dutiful and loyal, dove bombed both Regulus and Severus, trying to distract them from piling even more sand on his Mistress, but Orion saw that as much as he was nipping and wing beating them, the owl was playing as much as his daughter. The rules of play combat were in force.

Finally, Hermione busted out of the sand and pounced on Severus, attempting to bury him and build a sand castle above his pinned body. The sand castle looked suspiciously like Hogwarts.

Severus flailed, crashing the castle down, and all three children laughed, splashing water at each other.

Orion smiled. It was good the children were able to be children. Here, on the foreign beach, there were no titles to muck up relations. One child was just another child, and one parent just another parent.

Finally, after some time, the kids dragged themselves back to lay under the umbrella to escape the sun. All three of them flopped against each other, slamming their sandy feet together in play as they reclined on the over-sized beach towels.

Orion pulled out his wand and constructed a huge sandcastle around their umbrella, making it strong enough that they could clamber over and in it. He constructed sand dragons to perch upon the parapets, and made knights out of the ocean shells to attack.

The children laughed encouragement for the dragons and cheered with the dragons "ate" the knights. Happy endings were a matter of perspective, after all. He couldn't have been more proud. When the sun began to set over the sandcastle, Orion bid them all prepare to make the trek up the beach to their accommodations, and he couldn't help but notice Severus' wistful face as he stared across the beach as if to imprint the memory into his mind forever.

Orion did one step better by taking a picture of the group of them standing by the sandcastle at sunset. One more for the extensive Black family picture albums.

Orion plucked a conch shell from the shore and rinsed it off in the pooling water. Calling his magic to him, he tapped it with his wand, weaving the charm he desired into it. He nudged Severus and handed him the shell, gesturing him to put it up to his ear.

Severus obeyed, and his eyes lit up with amazement as the true sound of the surf and the scent of the ocean wafted from the shell's opening. A phantom sand dragon alighted on top of the shell for a while, roared, and then flew off. Severus looked at Orion with such emotion that he knew that the boy's experience with gifts had been lacking. It was sad to see it in a boy who was obvious very observant and bright for his age. Orion smiled at him and motioned for him to follow the others up the trail to their lodging.

Pulling up the beach umbrella, Orion called his grumbling elder son back to his family group, reassuring him that he could meet up with his friends on the morrow. Sirius gave him a look that seemed to say he didn't believe it, but within a few minutes, Regulus and Hermione pounced on him and they raced him up the sand dunes as they carried the picnic basket and supplies up the dunes with them.

Slinging the umbrella over his shoulder, Orion grinned. The time for snow and a happy Christmas would be soon enough, but for now, he was content that his children and their seasonal guest would sleep deeply that evening and dream of sand dragons who defeated the impertinent knights.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Dear Remus,

Today, Father took us all to the beach down south where the snow is but a rumour used to scare children who are bad tempered. The warm sand and surf was such a change from the horrible chill that was taking over London the day we ported out.

Regulus, as I predicted, as found someone to idol in Severus, and poor Severus doesn't know what to do with someone looking to him with such faith.

Somehow, Sirius managed to owl word of where we were to his Gryffindor friends, and they met him out on the beach. He spend the entire time, save when father called him in, with his friends instead of us, but regardless, Severus, Regulus, and I had a wonderful time. Father made us one of his infamous sandcastles that he's done since we weren't old enough to walk properly. It was so beautiful in the sunset. You would have adored it. I'm sad that you couldn't be here, but at least you get to spend time with your family, and that's something to be thankful for as well.

I wish that Severus' family life was better so he could be with them as well, but, from what he's told me, the last Christmas he had with his family was him being kicked by his drunken father. His mum begged him to try and find somewhere else to be during the holidays, saying that his father, Tobias, has gotten much worse. She's managed to charm herself with a version of a not-notice-me spell to keep his anger and his fists away from her, but she doesn't want Severus to come home to that. I feel awful about that. Father said, after Severus and Regulus passed out, that Severus was welcome to join us for each holiday. I haven't told him yet, but I'm glad father approves of him. Maybe one of these holidays you can come visit as well for a day or two. Just enough so I don't miss you so badly!

I picked you up the shell I've managed to wrap so Sagacity can carry it without struggling to hard. It was grey like your fur, and I find it quite beautiful. I left some of the sand inside it, so don't tip it over on your bed if that is where you are reading this!

I sent Lily a shell as well. Severus and I picked it out from one of the sand bars in the surf. It was pristine white, unlike the other shells, shining like no other shell on the beach. We figured she would like that.

Christmas is coming up soon, and I'm so excited. Father promises to let us go shopping together when we get back from the beach, and I cannot wait to visit the little decorated shops in London. Father promises to let us shop outside Diagon Alley if we promise to stay close to him.

I'm so tired. It's been an exhausting day. I hope you are doing well, and please give my best to your parents for the holiday.

Your friend,

Hermione (her seal, the phoenix)

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

A/N: Sleep time for me. ZzzzzZzzz. Apologies for typos.