In Perpetuum

Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Novis notis, veretes amicos

Hermione looked up at the sound of excited voices coming from outside her bedroom door.

“Is she in there? Can I see her? Is she really going to be my sister?”

She heard Ma P chuckle as she patiently answered all the questions the boy was throwing at her.

The door was opened and a mop of black hair whizzed through the room and hauled itself up onto the bed.

“Hello.”

Hi there. You must be James. And you –” she indicated towards the other dark haired boy who was loitering around the door, “must be Sirius.”

James’ similarity to Harry was uncanny. The only differences were that James had hazel eyes and no lightning bolt scar on his forehead. They had the same untidy black hair and the same scrawny look about them.

Sirius stepped forward into the room and Hermione was able to easily see that one day, this boy would grow to be a very handsome man. There was an inbred elegance in him that was especially apparent through the way he walked across the room to join his friend on the bed. A carefree joy and merriment filled his silver eyes as he looked over at an ecstatic James.

“Yep, I’m Sirius, related in all but blood to my friend James here. Is there anything I could help you with fair maiden? Perhaps I could begin by removing this mangy scoundrel from your presence.”

Hermione giggled. It would be quite safe to say that Sirius’ penchant for charming witches had withstood the test of time.

“No, thank you,” replied Hermione, “I’m sure he can stay if he behaves himself.”

“You’re going to be my sister? Said James, as one eye squinted at Hermione as though he was sizing her up. Satisfied that she met his standards, James turned his attention to include Sirius and spoke to the both of them.

“What are we going to play today?”

The summer days continued in this kind of fashion. James and Sirius, every morning, would bound into Hermione’s room to wake her up. They would go down to breakfast in the cavernous dining room and plan what they would do for that day. They would then proceed to carry out their plans, pausing frequently for some of Honeydukes best products.

Evenings were spent playing games with Pops. When they were tired he would read them stories until their eyelids would droop. Many nights found Hermione falling asleep completely, curled up on the rug.

Hermione decided that it was not that difficult to pretend to be 10 years old. It was certainly more enjoyable to run through forests, swim through lakes and jump from great heights if your life did not depend on it. She would just have to learn to temper her knowledge of magic. She acknowledged that while she had studied at Hogwarts and learnt to hone her magic skills, no other 10 year olds had. She had to go to great lengths to hide her wand from James and Sirius. Both were always itching to “borrow” it and use it. Curiously, neither of them had questioned Hermione’s possession of a wand, however, Hermione thought that this was due to Ma P’s intervention and several looming threats involving undiluted Bubotuber Pus.

Despite the fun the trio had, Hermione was always happy to go back to her beloved books, and Ma P was always available for a spot of adult conversation, as a reprieve. Although Hermione was always careful with what information she passed on, never lingering on one topic for too long.

June and July flew past in a series of games, books and talk of which Quidditch team was likely to win that summer’s competition. August was approaching and unbeknownst to the boys’ attention, that meant that letters were coming.

Hermione was certainly not surprised to find a tawny owl waiting patiently for her at breakfast, on the table, on August 1st. A yellowed envelope with the Hogwarts crest was neatly and efficiently untied from the bird’s leg before she allowed the bird the crusts from her toast.

James on the other hand, had made his bird very flustered by managing to make the knot much worse around the birds leg. Before Hermione opened her own letter, she kindly helped James detach his letter from the now irate bird.

With an irritated hoot and a ruffle of wing feathers, the bird flew off, back through the window in which it came, leaving Hermione, James and Sirius with their letters. Hermione slid her finger into the envelope to un-stick the bright red, wax Hogwarts insignia. She pulled out the neatly folded parchment and began to read:

Dear Miss Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have a place...

 

Similarly to her school studies, Hermione knew the text by heart and peered over the top of her letter to watch the rapturous expressions of James and Sirius fade a little into slight disappointment.

“We aren’t allowed broomsticks!” wailed James.

Hermione smirked as she rolled her eyes at them.

“Oh it must be terrible,” she mocked, “Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll find something else to occupy your mind.”

At this Sirius and James looked up at each other and grinned. Hermione looked from one to the other, biting her lip, very much regretting her previous comment. She didn’t want to know what they could already be planning, but she was sure that the teachers would not know what hit them.

At this point, Ma P entered the room with several newspapers and a cup of tea. She saw the trio, each with pages of parchment in their hand.

“Your letters have arrived! Excellent, now we can plan for our trip to Diagon Alley. James, why don’t you owl Remus and ask if he wants to come along. No doubt he has his letter as well and will need to purchase his supplies.”

Hermione’s face, along with the boys’ faces, lit up. The prospect of going to Diagon Alley tempered any tension she felt at the thought of having to meet an 11-year-old Remus Lupin.