Truth or Dare ✔️

AE - 17

Remus led the procession into the parlor where Dumbledore and Doctor Granger were seated. On his lap, was an antique Winchester model 1873, carbine rifle. Remus entered first, then Harry. Next came Regulus, standing tall, as he escorted Misses Granger into the parlor. Finally, Sirius and Hermione stood just outside the door. They looked to one another and gave each other a kiss for luck and Sirius entered before her as she transformed her bathing suit into a pair of slacks and a blouse...she, however was still barefoot.  Cecil immediately got to his feet and pulled his wife toward him and then behind him as he held the gun in his arms, in a relaxed fashion. Sirius, knowing only what he saw in films about guns in general thought that it looked like something that a cowboy, or perhaps a Cavalry soldier would have used.

"Good afternoon," Sirius said as Hermione gasped from behind him at having seen a real rifle...she didn't know that her father had a gun, much less knew how to use one.

"You've got a lot of nerve, Black," he said.

"That goes without saying," Sirius replied and Dumbledore cleared this throat and the Grangers looked over toward him and then to each other.  Hermione moved to stand before her husband, as if to protect him from her father as she held on to his hand and then brought her arm and his across her waist...it was an Auror's move that Tonks and Kingsley taught them...the taller partner would stand behind the shorter one, and then if they were threatened, they would return to the traditional back-to back fighting stance...she prayed that it wouldn't come to that...she could see in her father's eyes how angry he was.

"There is the matter of your daughter who is now married to me. There's really nothing that you can do about it. You can try to remove her from his house, but you will lose her in the process. She will return. If not magically, then on foot if she has to."

"Oh?"

"Is that what you want?"

Granger shook his head. "No."

Sirius nodded. "Good. So, I offer up my assurances that no harm will come to her whilst I live. And if something should happen to me, my brother Regulus will act in my stead and will protect her as she is by all accounts, his sister. The entire family has sworn to protect her as she is still underage, not that she really needs it, mind you. She's quite capable of kicking arse and taking names later. This promise of protection is not limited to only her, nor while she is still underage, it is for anyone else who may come along. Suffice it to say, she is mine and I am hers. "

Cecil nodded. "Done." He approached the Wizard, standing before him and he immediately recognized that Regulus was his Lieutenant as he moved quickly to stand in front of Sirius and Hermione, effectively blocking him, while Remus due to his age and experience was his General and hung back. And Harry...he wasn't sure what Harry's role was...he was just a boy...a personal guard perhaps...but he was also by her side. "If I learn that she is not happy, I will come for her."

"Understood."

"And then, there's the matter of the other woman...Allison, is it?" He pointed behind the couple standing before him. Allison was standing in the corridor clutching Penelope close to her breast.

Regulus turned his head to see her and then faced forward. "My fiancee," he said.

Granger grinned. "Ooops. Looks like you don't know everything that goes on in your house, do you, Black?"

"It was only a matter of time is all," Sirius replied. "So what about the other woman, now?"

"I understand that she had bore you a child?"

"Yes she has. I must confess that I wasn't completely aware of any relationship with 'Mione. All I knew was that I wanted her. The chemistry was there from the get-go." He turned and waved her into the room and Hermione wrapped her other arm around her shoulder as she stood between Regulus and Sirius. "The family needed an heir and having known Ally since our school days, I knew that I could trust her." He took Penelope from her arms and held her in his arms. "And this is our precious Penny. She will head the British Clan. The first male child that Hermione bears will head the entire family once I am gone, should he survive me."