A Second Channe Through Time

CHAPTER TWELVE

Page count: 12

Sirius' Apartment – Thursday 31st December 1981

There were only a few minutes until midnight, until it was a new year and Hermione was sat on the step outside of the apartment in the cold snow, waiting for the fireworks and celebrations in Diagon Alley to begin.

She was thinking about everything she'd accomplished, she was trying to forgive herself for Harry's death, for all of their deaths like James had told her to, trying to fight through the survivor's guilt, when her thoughts were interrupted by James and Sirius sitting down on the step on either side of her.

"Why are you freezing your arse off out here?" Sirius questioned.

"I'm waiting for the fireworks."

"They won't beat yours," James commented and her mouth pulled into a smile.

"Maybe not but it's tradition and I miss it. Every year Harry and I would sneak outside to watch the fireworks, whether we were at Hogwarts and it was only meant for the older students and staff, at the Burrow to watch the celebrations in the surrounding town or at Grimmauld to watch most of London being lit up. We would always sneak out together. When we were on the run, we almost died on Christmas day and we were hidden in the woods at New Year's so we missed it."

They could hear the residents of Diagon Alley shouting the countdown.

"FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Fireworks went off instantaneously in the sky of all different colours, patterns and shapes.

"Better than muggles, nowhere near as good as Fred and George," she said wistfully, before leaning over and shocking the life out of James when she kissed his cheek and then did the same to Sirius. "Happy New Year, boys," she said, tilting her head and resting it against Sirius' shoulder.

He cleared his throat. "What was that for?" He asked.

"Muggle tradition, at New Year's you kiss the person or people you want to be with you in the new year, and I want both of you to be in my future. I know for a fact that if I didn't have you two, Harry and Remus, I'd be drowning in pressure, in research and dark magic. You are the life raft that's keeping me afloat and I want you to know how much I appreciate you, all of you. I don't think I can ever repay you for everything you've done for me."

James and Sirius shared a hopeful look over the top of her head.

"We can assure you, Mia, you've done far more for us than we have for you, far more than you realise."

~000~000~000~

Diagon Alley: Gringotts - Wednesday 6th January 1982

Hermione and Sirius stepped into the large golden building that was Gringotts Bank and they made their way through the throng of people and towards the largest desk at the back of the room, stopping before it. The goblin didn't look up from what he was doing.

"Name?" He asked.

"Sirius Black," Sirius replied.

The goblin dropped his quill and promptly looked up from the paperwork in front of him, his eyes locking on Sirius, seeing his black wavy hair and his grey eyes that were known traits of the Blacks.

"Lord Black," the goblin spoke, standing from his high wing back chair and making his way down the stairs of the counter until he was on the ground and he stood in front of them. Sirius grumbled at the title and Hermione's mouth pulled into a smile.

"What can I help you with?"

"I have a delicate situation and I need your assistance," Sirius replied.