Hermione was aggravated. Her plan to expose Silos had been set back. After the Malfoy event, Hermione had been put into detention for three weeks and thirty points were taken off Gryffindor. Many people were happy that Malfoy had finally gotten what was coming to him. The irony of it was that he had been beaten to a pulp, the muggle way. Despite the people's happiness, they were still afraid to set off Hermione. She was always viewed as the quiet bookworm with two obnoxious best friends. Not some ball of fire that could explode with one poke!
Hermione wasn't concerned though. They could all think whatever they like. As long as she had Harry and Ron. At the moment, Hermione was walking down to the dungeons for her detention with Snape. It was her second week of labeling potions, scrubbing cauldrons and making potions for the hospital wing. It wasn't that bad to be honest. Snape would leave her alone to do her work and it would be silence. She walked up to the door and gave it three taps. She heard a dragged out "enter" and obeyed the command. She stepped in the classroom and carefully closed the door. She sat in the front row seat and waited for Snape to finish what he was grading. The first day, she made the mistake of interrupting his grading. It was a detention full of glares and insults. Snape did not like to be interrupted in his grading.
He finally looked up and just stared. She started to feel a bit uncomfortable and squirmed in her seat. She cleared her throat and asked, "what will I be doing today, sir?" He rose from his desk and walked over and stood in front of her. "Your head of house wants me to find the reason you assaulted, Mr. Malfoy. She says that she already asked you, but you refused to tell her?" Hermione nodded hesitantly and he gave her another look. "Well?" She looked up and didn't look directly at him. "Well what?" He sighed and summoned a chair to sit and there he placed himself in front of her. "I can sit here all night, Miss Granger. Either start talking or stare at me for hours. I believe the first option will be better for the both of us." Hermione at first just sat dumbfounded that Professor Snape of all people would take this so seriously. She looked to him again and saw that he really was making himself comfortable to wait her out. 'I should tell him' she thought. She would have already if it weren't for the fact that she would call it a stupid reason to beat someone bloody. After half an hour of silence, Hermione decided to just talk. The whole half an hour she had spent sitting in silence, staring at Snape, she was thinking of what to say. She relinquished her stare on Snape and sighed while promptly dropping her head on the table. Snape mearly lifted an eyebrow.
She lifted her head up and looked at him with helpless eyes. "I'm tired." In those two words, Snape understood what she was talking about. He knew of her time-turner and he knew how much energy it took. That wasn't all though. She was tired of everything. Schoolwork, the belittling, the stares, the cruel people, everything. He understood. She continued with an even more depressed look, "I'm tired of stretching myself out to prove that I'm worth anything. I'm tired of trying my best and getting made fun of for it. I'm tired of feeling inferior to people. Most of all, I'm just tired of pretending." They stared at eachother for a while. Snape understood more than anything what lay behind the eyes of the know-it-all swot. Hermione knew without Snape saying it, that he understood. They came to an agreement through that stare. They were more alike than they first thought.
Snape leaned forward and told her in a strangely soft voice, "I'm not going to tell you that it will get better. It may not. I'm in my thirties and I'm still tired. What I can tell you is that you can either break down and prove them all right. Or you can be stronger and rise above their petty belittling." Hermione glanced at Snape with newfound respect. She nodded to him with determination flickering behind her eyes and he looked at her in approval. She would be fine, he decided. "You may leave. Get some rest, Miss Granger." Hermione didn't question why he let her go early. That would cause him to take back the request. Hermione grabbed her bag and looked at Snape straight in the eyes and said, "thank you." Then she left. Snape knew that she meant more than 'thank you' for the pass to leave early. She meant 'thank you' for everything he told her. Snape would have smiled, but Professor Snape didn't smile.
Hermione had the best nights sleep of her life that night. It was amazing. She even slept in and didn't care at all that she was late for breakfast. She only raised her hand for questions that others couldn't answer. She did the appropriate amount of writing on her essays instead of going a foot or so over the requirement. She had more time to practice the practical assignment now that she wasn't working herself raw with trying to overachieve. On another bright side. Snape had stopped insulting her during class. She guessed they came to a silent agreement. If she didn't act a know-it-all, he wouldn't treat her like one.
With Hermione's new attitude, she was ready to reveal Silos Banther. She needed to lead him to an empty space and then use the canceling spell. How would she though? He had suspected she knew and he stayed as far away from her as possible. That only solidified her conclusion that he was an imposter.
Hermione also needed to brush up on some defense spells. If this person was dangerous, she wanted to be ready. Hermione hit the books on some nasty jinxes and many curses that would put some fifth years to shame. She even went as far as to ask Snape for some ideas. He had told her to tie them up. Make sure they weren't conscious and intimidate as much as possible. He also told her to stand strong against whoever it was and show no weakness. Control her emotions.
On the wonderful Saturday morning, Hermione began to put her plan into action. Harry had told her that he wanted to take Silos to see some secret passageways and asked Hermione to come along with them. The idea struck her and she turned down his offer. Her plan was to follow them and push Silos into the phasing wall. She had mapped out that Harry would head that direction and she would make Silos disappear. Harry would just think he got lost, but he would never check the secret wall. Only Hermione knew of it. There were things she didn't tell Harry. She needed places all her own and she knew for a fact that Harry had a few secret rooms for himself.
Hermione was in her dorms perfecting her plan. She removed her uniform and put on some movable cloths that made little noise. She made sure her wand was in place and tied her hair back. She took the bag that held her main tool and put it over her shoulder. In it held a rag with extremely strong knock-out potion. She called it knock-out potion, it was actually just a strong sleeping potion with a strong fuming spell. She felt as if she was in one of those cool spy movies she had watched a couple times. In a way, she was getting ready to take down an enemy. Unless Silos wasn't an enemy and she was imagining the whole thing. That was unlikely though. She couldn't ask for Harry's invisibility cloak, he would ask too many questions. She did feel bad for not telling him, but she needed to make sure this person didn't plan on hurting Harry.
Hermione finished and grabbed a book, then headed down to the common room. The boys wouldn't be leaving for a while and she needed to act like nothing was abnormal. She reached the common room and wasn't surprised to see it empty. It was a beautiful day and the only ones who were inside were Hermione, Harry, and Silos.
Harry was in the boys dorms, explaining to Silos what they were doing. Hermione hoped he was swearing the traitor to secrecy. Her temper was flaring at the thought of Silos using Harry. She gripped the book until her knuckles turned white and eventually calmed down. She needed a clear head. What she had to do was make sure that she would not be seen. One slip up, and that would be it. The boys finally came down stairs and it looked as if they were trying their hardest to not look suspicious. She rolled her eyes and shouted in a voice extremely close to Professor McGonagall, "drop the cloak Potter!" Harry dropped the cloak he was trying to conceal and Silos jumped about a foot in the air. Hermione couldn't stop laughing. Harry pouted and said, "You can't do that! We were supposed to be looking like two normal guys walking to the portrait." Hermione snorted and walked to Harry and picked up the cloak. "Well, stop trying so hard and you may not look like you're up to something." She handed him the cloak and he spotted her bag. "What are you doing with that?" Hermione stayed cool and pointed to it. "There's a rag soaked in a strong sleeping potion in the bag. I'm going to go abduct someone and torture them for information." Hermione saw Silos's eyes widen in shock and Harry just snorted. "Have fun with that Kitten." She smiled and he grabbed Silos's arm and pulled the stunned boy out of the common room. Always tell the truth.
Hermione waited five minutes and then snuck out after them. She knew where they were going. Fourth floor corridor, second painting to the last. It had a stairway to a large room and the room lead to the kitchen. Then they would enter another way to a shortcut for the charms classroom. There would be her chance. Halfway through that passageway was the phasing wall. It lead to a small square room with a table and chairs. That's where she would be. Hermione took a shortcut to the phasing room and waited. She cast a spell on the doorway that let her see the hall, but they couldn't see in. She sat and waited. Hermione didn't dare read or keep occupied, she would miss them. She would need to act fast. Grab Silos quickly and make sure Harry didn't notice.
It was an hour later when she heard their loud footsteps. 'Geeze Harry.' He should work on softer steps. Hermione stood up swiftly and got out the rag. She was ready. Harry wandered past and he didn't even stop talking. She was afraid he'd see her. Time seemed to slow as Silos stepped into her view. She waited until Harry was far enough away and she jumped out of the wall, grabbed Silos in a hole and stuck the rag on his nose and mouth. He tried to fight at first, but was knocked out instantly. She could see Harry twisting around, so she threw Silos in the phasing wall and quickly jumped in with him. They hit the ground hard and she watched as Harry ran past shouting "Silos!"
Hermione cancelled the spell on the wall and it was stone once again. Solid stone. Hermione breathed a laugh and grabbed a chair from the table on the side of the room and set it up in the middle of the room. She dragged Silos to the chair and haphazardly lifted him onto it. He was finally settled and she tied him up. She contemplated waiting until he woke up or dumping ice cold water on him. Hermione smiled and decided on the water. The potion she gave him was a natural induced sleep. Not like a sleeping draught that actually created artificial sleep for your body. So, she wouldn't need an antidote, just a regular wake up call. She conjured a bucket, filled it with water and manually threw it at the boys face. His eyes popped open and he spluttered. He was dripping with water and Hermione smirked. Silos looked up
to her and his eyes widened. "Rise and shine, Silos! Welcome to tell the truth time, where it is time for you to tell the truth!" She had an almost crazy look about her.
Sirius needed to think. He could confess everything and explain or keep trying to go with the plan. She couldn't possibly know how to get the spell off. So, he just gave her an amused smile and said, "fine! I'll tell you the truth." She leaned closer and he whispered, "you've lost your mind." She growled angrily and her hand twitched. She wanted to slap him. She wanted to cause him pain. She took a breath and stepped back. Control her emotions. She held her wand to his throat and he stopped smiling instantly. "Confess. Me and you both know I figured you out a long time ago." He kept his mouth clamped shut. She gave up. She would have to force it from him. She whispered dangerously, "finite incantatem." His eyes widened and Hermione watched in fascination as he shifted. She stayed strong, but oh, how much she wanted to scream in terror. In the seat of Silos Banther sat the escaped convict of Sirius Black.
He shook his head to relieve the fuzziness in his mind and he looked up at Hermione. He was surprised to see her still calm and collected. He could see the curiosity swimming in her eyes though. He raised an eyebrow, "you're not frightened." It was her turn to raise an eyebrow and she said almost haughtily, "why would I be? I'm here and you're tied to a chair. You forgot your wand in your dorm and I locked the doorway with a spell you don't know. I'm just a bit curious." He looked at the girl in disbelief. This thirteen year old girl was facing down a criminal and didn't even bat an eye. "Curious?" She nodded and circled him, inspecting every detail. "If you wanted to hurt Harry, you would have already. You've had many opportunities. So, why are you disguised as a teenage boy and trying to get close to my Harry?" He shook his head once more. This girl was full of surprises. "Well, I'm innocent-."
"Obviously."
"What?"
"You couldn't have committed the crime. Finding only a finger from an explosion? No. It was perfectly sliced as I saw in the newspaper clips. No blood was anywhere else and it was all too nicely done."
"W-well, I mean, you're right and-."
"It was Pettigrew."
"How in the hell?"
"Who else was there to cause the explosion? He obviously chopped his own finger off and you were too insane for vengeance to do anything smart. Well, that's the only thing I can conclude. Plus, you have no dark Mark. If you betrayed the Potters to the Dark Lord, you would be a follower. Followers are branded. I read that in the restricted section."
"Yes, well...you're correct. I am here to watch over Harry."
"Why? Were you close to his parents or something?"
"I'm Harry's godfather."
Hermione snapped excitedly, like she was solving a puzzle. "You went after Pettigrew for betraying Lily and James! He staged it to look like you did it, but how did he get away?"
"He was an Animagus."
"Something small?"
"A rat."
"Rat? Wait a second..." She was on the verge of the answer. It was all too coincidental. Crookshanks trusting Sil, uh, Sirius, Sirius throwing death glares at Ron's pet, and Crookshanks trying to eat...Scabbers. It can't be! Well, Scabbers is older than regular rats. He had lived with the Weasley's for a long time. Hermione turned her worried eyes to Sirius and asked, "Scabbers?" Sirius nodded sadly and Hermione let out a line of curse words. "Language little girl!" Hermione slapped him upside the head and he winced. "Shut it! I'm trying to think." He shut his mouth and waited. She was a scary child that had the smacking power of a pureblood mother. She walked around to the front of the chair and vanished the ropes absentmindedly. He rubbed his wrists and stared back at her. "Should we tell Harry?" Hermione nodded. "He has no family. You would really make him happy. I'll explain the situation first and then you can have one of those sappy reunions."
"Oi! I am not sappy!"
"Me and you both know you're going to cry when you see him."
"That's emotional, not sappy."
"Then you'll declare your love and ask him to stay with you. Like I said, sappy."
"Does Harry know you act like this?"
"Like what?"
"Creepily all knowing."
"He encourages it."
"Merlin help us."
Hermione snorted and lifted her bag from the ground. "There's a passageway behind you. Third brick to the right. Press it and you'll be in the kitchens. Explain your intentions to the elves and wait for someone. Maybe, Professor Lupin. He'll understand if you tell him your innocence. He gets hot chocolate at midnight, wait till then and he'll help you out." Hermione walked over the wall and disappeared with a goodbye and left Sirius there in jaw dropping amazement. What did that little girl not know? Why the hell was she in Gryffindor? That was first class Slytherin right there!
Sirius followed all of her instructions and Lupin arrived at twelve for his hot chocolate, just as she predicted. Remus saw his friend sitting in the corner of the kitchens and only had to look into his eyes to guess what happened. "Miss Granger?" Sirius groaned and said with frustration, "what the hell is wrong with that child's mind!"