James and Hermione Potter: Getting through school without dieing or worse

Walburga Black

Regulus dragged Hermione over to where is parents were standing.   There was a man who was short and stumpy with thinning black hair.  Next to him was a really tall lady, who had thick curly black hair.  The couple had very similar faces, hers only being a bit more feminine.  They looked related.  Hermione knew that her mother was related to Walburga, she was her 3rd cousin.  

"Ahh, Regulus m'boy."  The man said in a baritone voice, which shook Hermione.  "And Ms. Potter how could I have forgotten!"  He said noticing her.  

"Hello father,"  Regulus said cooly, strolling up to them.  Hermione trudging slowly behind them.

"Mr. Black.  How nice it is to meet you."  Hermione said in a polite voice.  Bowing down to him.  She noticed the woman who bared no real resemblance to her mother, staring down at her.  "Ah and Mrs. Black how kind it is for you to open your house for me."  She said bowing once more.  This seemed to win the approval of Walburga, she gave Hermione a tight lip smile.  

"The pleasures all mine."  She said in a fake kind voice.  "May we get going dear?  My feet hurt."  Walburga said linking her arms through her husband.    

"Of course sweet."  He said grabbing Regulus. Who grabbed Hermione, the familiar feeling of operating filled her.   She felt her feet touch the ground.    Mr.Black called for an elf named Kreacher.  

"Kreacher is here to serve Master Black."  It piped up in a gravelly voice.  It was an ugly elf in Hermione's eyes.  Grey and wrinkly with buggy sad eyes.  

"Kreacher, please show Ms. Potter to the Sunroom.  And take her things."  He said nicely to the elf.  That was odd- him being kind to the elf.  Sirius wasn't kind to Elfs at all and Regulus was a bit snappy at them.   Kreacher grasped her hand in his, leading her up the flight of stairs.  After walking down a long hallway he turned to the left to a door.  Inside the room was a big bed, and a bookshelf, a desk, and a dresser.  Pretty plain but hey she wasn't complaining.      

Some time later Walburga came into the room, her long black skirt sweeping the floor.   "We need to go over some rules."  She said in a cool voice that reminded her of a feminine Regulus.  Hermione nodded giving her full attention to the lady.  "Breakfast is served at 7.  Dont come downstairs before that, you must come downstairs fully dressed.  After breakfast you are free to do as you please until 1 then its lunchtime.  You must attend.   After lunch all children must go to theyre rooms until 3.  At 3 you can leave and do as you please.  Dinner is at 6.  After dinner I don't care what you do as long as you are quiet.  No boys are allowed in your room after 9 an vie versa.  Lights out before midnight or else."  She said walking around the room checking out some things.

"You know, before your mother betrayed us she used to sleep in this room?"  Walburga sai touching some cut marks in the wall, that looked liked they where used to measure a growing child.  "Its a shame really, she could of had such beautiful children is she had married Dolohov.  Good thing you look like her and not Potter, that poor boy looks horrid.  Does he even own a comb?"   Is she trying to joke with her?  

"I ask myself the same thing Mrs. Black."  Hermione sai with a giggle.  "Do you, um have any photos of my mother?  When she was young?  She always said her family destroyed them after she left."  Hermione said trying to keep her voice from wavering.  What?  The lady was intimidating.

Mrs. Black stared at Hermione for a moment before going to the closet.  She pulled out a red chest.  "Yes, I think I do."  She said quietly.  Walburga was letting her guard down.  She sat on the bed next to Hermione, pulling out a photo.  She handed it to the young girl.    Hermione saw 4 adults in front of them were 5 children.  Two of the boys in the photo were in green quidditch robes.  While the girl who bared some resemblance to Walburga stood in the middle of the boy.  Had a small smile gracing her lips.   Then the other two children one who looked like Sirius who Hermione assumed was her mother's brother, Reginald, who died a year before Hermione's birth from dragon pox.  Then her mother, she really did look a lot like her mother.  Same long black curls.  Same button nose, same piercing blue eyes.   The only difference was the height.  Hermione took after her father in that category.  

"Ye that is my brother Alfred and Cygnus,"  Walburga said pointing to the boys in the quidditch robes.  "That's me obviously."    She was talking about the girl in the middle.  "Then there was Reginald.   My poor cousin the poor man died alone.  Then your mother."  Walburga said smoothing down Hermione's curls.  "Well, I must be going."   She said before heading out of the room leaving Hermione with the photo.