Hero of the Story || James Potter x Hermione Granger Fanfiction

38 | became the heirloom of the heaviness we've known

xxxviii.

became the heirloom of the heaviness we've known

(Heirloom by Sleeping at Last)

__________

January 4, 1979

After her exhausting revelation to the rest of her friends, Dumbledore sent an Owl through Fleamont stating that he'd drop by Potter Manor once more to further discuss things regarding their current predicament. Hermione insisted that Lily and Sev stay for Dumbledore's visit, and although they had both looked terribly uncomfortable, her best friends conceded.

Conversations in the Drawing Room became light and cordial, with James and Peter chatting with Lily about how her Unspeakable duties had been. Severus and Remus were, surprisingly, discussing their future plans of becoming professors at Hogwarts, with Remus constantly asking Sev questions about how the interview would go, since Sev had already gone through his. Granted, Sev looked terribly, terribly uncomfortable, speaking one-worded replies to the inquisitive werewolf, but Remus didn't seem to mind. Or if he did, he chose to ignore it.

It was a really weird sight, seeing her best friends interacting with the Marauders. Hermione met Sev's eyes from across the room, and he quirked an eyebrow at her ridiculous grin. She was the most worried for Sev, since he still deeply disliked the others, but it warmed her heart at how he was trying to still be civil.

Sirius, however, was worrisome. The grey-eyed wizard had been sitting in front of the fire, cross-legged, and brooding. His friends tried to get him to talk, but Sirius constantly pushed them away.

Hermione knew the revelation that his little brother had been helping her with the horcrux hunt had disoriented him completely. At Hogwarts, Sirius had talked about Regulus like he was ashamed of him.

'Not ashamed,' she mentally corrected. 'Disappointed.'

Sirius was disappointed that Regulus had continued being the perfect Pureblood their parents wished him to become, associating himself with the smarmiest bastards at school, and upholding ideologies that were incongruent with his.

Peter and James told her how they'd recently suspected that Regulus was already a Death Eater. Hermione wondered how Sirius felt about that.

Pokey soon came a few hours after, declaring that dinner was ready for Master James and his friends.

"Sirius," Hermione called, sauntering towards the silent wizard. She gently touched his shoulder to get his attention.

The wizard tensed instantly, but his back was still facing her.

"It's time for dinner," she said.

"I'm not hungry," he bit back dully.

Hermione frowned. "You need to eat," she insisted. "Dumbledore's coming soon."

"Bugger off, Hermione."

"But—"

Her words died down when James held her hand and gently pulled her away from the overwrought wizard. "Leave him be for now, love," he whispered, ushering her out of the Drawing Room behind the others. "Sirius always gets like this if something comes up with his brother."

Hermione sadly glanced over her shoulder to look at Sirius. "Will he be all right?" she asked.

"Just give him some time. The fact that his brother's been helping you gather horcruxes for Voldemort's downfall has rattled him immensely."