Harry and Hermione, while holding hands, stepped into the Floo fire at the Leaky Cauldron and were there first to step out of the Floo fire in Potter Manor in over twelve years. Hermione needed to be holding on to either Harry or his grandfather, or the wards at Potter Manor would have bounced her right back to the Leaky Cauldron, as she was a complete stranger according to the wards. Travelling in with a Potter gave Hermione a one time pass, and Charlus (who Floo'ed in a few seconds later) was going to add Hermione to the wards as a friend, at least for now.
Back at the Leaky Cauldron, before the Grangers left, Charlus had made Hermione the offer to bring her into the House of Potter. Hermione had at first been worried about her parents and about how it could affect her and Harry's relationship. However, as soon as she was told that it wouldn't affect any of those things and would give her a leg up in the magical world that most muggleborn only got if they married the 'right people', Hermione was all for it. That both her parents and Harry's grandfather had insisted that Hermione speak to at least three adult witches and wizards that she trusted before she made her decision made Hermione more convinced that she would say yes.
Once Mr. Potter was through the flames, Harry asked him if he could also invite Ron over so he could show his friends around at the same time. Mr. Potter had agreed, but when Harry went to floo directly to Ron's home he was gently stopped.
"Harry, do you have an invite to Floo over their house whenever you like?" His tone was firm but not accusing.
"Um, not in so many words, but Mrs. Weasley said I was always welcome at the Burrow." Harry was confused.
"While I doubt that the Weasleys would take offence (from what I remember of the family they are pretty laid back about such things with their friends), it is impolite to randomly Floo into someone's home. Think about it this way. If you were to go there without the Floo and if you would knock on the door and wait for someone to invite you in, then you wouldn't just Floo to their home. In that situation, you use a Floo call." He then went on to explain how to make a Floo call, where you only put your head in the fire. It was possible then for the person on the other end to invite you over or even for you to hand things back and forth, or the caller could take someone's hand and pull them through their side.
There were advantages and disadvantages to this and Hermione got to see them as Harry made the call. First, Harry had to get right down on the floor. Then after throwing a pinch of powder from a box they had just bought before coming here into the fireplace and igniting the fire, Harry had stuck his head in the green flames. The advantages that Hermione could see were mostly analogous to a telephone but the ability to pass things back and for was brilliant. Though, the advantage Hermione was mostly enjoying right now was that, with Harry on his hands and knees with his head in the fire, she was left with a rather nice view of her boyfriend's butt. Hermione liked to think that her attraction to Harry was to his bravery, his tenacity, his heart, and his mind, and while that was true, she was also a fourteen (almost fifteen) year old teenager and could get as distracted by looks as any teenager.
While Harry had his head in the fire, Sirius walked into the room to see who had arrived. "Hey uncle Charlus." Then he noticed Hermione. "Oh hey Hermione. I see the Floo is back up. Did you all have a good lunch?"
"Lunch was delightful." Mr. Potter told Sirius, and Hermione nodded her agreement.
"You're looking a lot better Sirius." Hermione said; it was true, the man did look a lot better since the last time she had seen him. Not great, though, even with magic recovering from so long in Azkaban and then a year on the run will take time.
Sirius grinned. "A few hot showers, a warm bed, and good food will do wonders. Not to mention real clothes help me remember that I am in fact a man. Who's Harry calling?" He directed the last question to Mr. Potter.
"His friend Ronald. You know, the one you owe an apology to for breaking his leg?" Mr. Potter told Sirius in the way only a parent can when talking to their kid. Before any of them could say anything else, there was a flash of green light as Harry pulled Ron through the fireplace and into Potter Manor.
Harry spent the afternoon showing Ron and Hermione around the manor. The first stop was the stables, apparently in the past the family had kept horses, but since there were no horses now the stables had been repurposed to house Buckbeak. Then it was a tour of the grounds, which on their own weren't much (just grassy hills broken up by the odd rock or stream), however what the manor did have was a view. When you looked downhill, you got an incredible sight as the horizon was filled with rolling green hills and the blue sky was dotted with fluffy white clouds. As they walked, Harry filled Ron and Hermione in on everything that had happened since they had last seen each other at King's Cross. He told them how his grandfather and Sirius had turned up with the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and how they had brought him here. Ron was surprised that the head of the D.M.L.E. knew where Sirius was and was a little put out that Harry had waited a few days to tell Ron what was going on, despite him being in the country and freely available. Harry explained that he had wanted to get all the changes right in his head before talking to anyone else. Ron understood and focused more on the director of the D.M.L.E. knowing where Sirius is. "I mean, after everything you did to save him, it would be a right pile of dragon shit if he was dragged off now."
"Both she and Grandfather Charlus are working to get Sirius a trial. Apparently Sirius was a rookie Auror working for the D.M.L.E. before he was arrested and Amelia Bones was his training officer. Sirius told me she was on compassionate leave since the start of that October, her brother and his wife were murdered by Death-Eaters and she suddenly had the responsibility of being a parent to her niece, you know Susan Bones?"
"Hufflepuff, our year, the one with the massive..." Ron made a motion with his hands over his own chest to indicate boobs.
Hermione couldn't keep herself from shooting Ron a disapproving look. "You know there's more to the girl than her chest right."
Ron shrugged. "Yeah of course, but 'that quiet mousey Hufflepuff girl' could mean six different girls, only one girl in our year has melons like that."
Hermione was annoyed, not just at Ron but that (at least in the moment) she couldn't refute his logic. Harry soon had them both distracted from what could have developed into a fight by taking them inside. Hermione was a little embarrassed that Harry actually had to stand in front of her and physically block the books from her before she stopped staring in wonder at the library. Honestly, if accepting Mr. Potter's offer would mean she could read those books, it would take a serious downside for her to turn it down. She could easily see herself coming here every day of the holidays while her parents were at work and losing herself in the books and Harry's company.
As bad as Hermione was in the library, Ron was worse in the game room and practically begged Harry for a game when he saw the deluxe chess board built into one of the tables. Harry ended up caving when Hermione said it was okay with her, but only if she could borrow a book from the library to read during the game. Harry of course let her, and she was back within five minutes with a book on the Potter family's contributions to the field of potions.
Both of them had to use the chess pieces provided, and both sets of Wizarding chess pieces refused to offer any advice and instead were focused on acting out their deaths and attacks. It meant that Harry had one of his worst losses in over a year, but it did make the game both a better representation of how much Harry had actually learned of the game and more entertaining. While they were playing, Ron told them that his father had gotten tickets to the Quidditch World Cup and that both Harry and Hermione were invited. That surprised Hermione, who wouldn't have thought she would be included in a Weasley family trip. Harry she could understand; even if he had found his family, the Weasleys had already half adopted him.
"I'll need to ask my grandfather," Harry said, and even though it was clear that he didn't know if his grandfather would let him, Harry couldn't keep from smiling. It was easy to understand why, Charlus would make his decision purely on whatever he thought was best for Harry, not on how bad he could make Harry feel by denying him the experience.
"I'll need to ask my parents as well," Hermione said, not looking up from her book. "Though given they got a full explanation of Floo powder earlier today and just how cheap and quick it is to travel by magic, I'm sure they will let me go for a few days. But if the match lasts longer than that I might have to leave early."
"Only the real hardcore nutters stay for the whole time if the match lasts longer than a day," Harry agreed with her.
Only Ron took offence. "Hey!" He sometimes bragged about a Chudley Cannons Quidditch game he had been taken to when he was nine that lasted three days, and Ron had sat in the stands watching the game the whole time fearing that if he took a nap the Cannons would win while he was asleep. That the Cannons were already 300 points in the hole by the end of the first day hadn't dampend Ron's spirit that they could win one bit.
Harry just laughed and said. "See what I mean, hardcore nutters." And the three of them burst out laughing.
-ϟϟϟ-
Harry watched his two friends leave for the Burrow with a smile on his face. Hermione wanted to talk to Mrs. Weasley, so she was popping to the Burrow for half an hour before Floo'ing back to the Leaky Cauldron where she would be picked up by her parents. Harry was just about to leave the Floo room when the fire flashed green again. He turned, a little startled and expecting to see either Ron or Hermione coming back because they had forgotten something, but instead he saw Director Bones's face sitting in the fire. Having been on the other end of this only a few hours ago, Harry understood what was happening and said. "Good evening Director Bones. What can I do for you?"
"Good evening Mr. Potter. Can I come through? I need to talk to your grandfather and Sirius." Her voice was calm but she seemed happy as she spoke.
Harry agreed and stuck his hand into the fire, and when he felt Director Bones grab hold of his hand Harry pulled her through into Potter Manor. As she waved her wand over her robes cleaning off the soot and dirt that was unavoidable when making a Floo call, Harry asked. "How did you know about the Floo? We only had it reconnected today."
"You have a wanted fugitive living here under house arrest. I'm monitoring any mention of the manor in paperwork at the Ministry. A copy of the paperwork to reactivate the Floo came across my desk less than an hour after it was filed," she explained.
Harry started to lead her up the stairs to where Harry knew his grandfather and godfather were, only to find Grandfather Charlus coming down the stairs. Harry guessed there must be some type of alert that someone had come through the Floo and he was coming to investigate. The two adults exchanged pleasantries and Grandfather Charlus invited Director Bones upstairs to the family area. They all gathered in the small family kitchen and sat around the dining table. With a quick wave of a wand from Sirius to light the stove, Harry busied himself making tea for everyone.
"I have managed to secure a trial date for you, Sirius." Director Bones's words had smiles appearing on everyone's faces.
"When?" Sirius asked excitedly, like a dog who was just told he was getting steak for dinner.
"That's the bad news. It's in three days, which doesn't leave you much time to prepare. If you don't have one already, I suggest you find yourself an advocate quickly. Fudge is going to lead the prosecution himself, not sure why but my guess is that someone is putting pressure on him to have you Kissed."
"It's probably Malfoy. He probably thinks that if I die then his son will be the next in line to inherit the Black family gold and properties, which of course he would control and manage until his son comes of age," Sirius guessed.
"He thinks?" asked Director Bones.
Sirius grinned. "I may have instructed Gringotts to move all Black assets into my personal name and made a will giving it all to my godson if I die before having a kid of my own. Of course, they could try and contest it if they wanted, but to do that they would need to go before the Wizengamot and get them to vote to strip 'The Boy-Who-Lived' of his inheritance. Anyone voting to take money from Harry would be murdered in the press."
Harry was shocked to hear that Sirius had left him everything in his will, but he was more concerned with the idea that Malfoy was pushing the Minister of Magic to get Sirius executed. "Is that why Minister Fudge refused to listen to me and Hermione when we said we saw Peter Pettigrew?"
Harry had told this information to his grandfather and Sirius over the last few days,, but this was Director Bones first time hearing it. She stood up in surprise and fixed Harry with a stare that could teach Professor McGonagall a thing or two and demanded. "Mr. Potter, are you telling me that the Minister of Magic had two witnesses that reported seeing a man thought murdered alive and he did nothing about it?"
"He said that Hermione and I must have been Confounded and that we didn't know what we were talking about, and proceeded to try and have Sirius kissed." Harry told the now-angry Director Bones.
"Oh, if I find evidence that Fudge was involved in arranging an assassination, I will have that greasy peace of filth in Sirius's old cell."
Grandfather Charlus, not one to let a declaration like that go unremarked, lifted his fresh cup of tea towards the director in a salute. "Here here."
-ϟϟϟ-
While Harry was drinking a cup of tea with Director Bones, Hermione was having a cup with Mrs. Weasley. Ron had run off to speak with Fred and George before his mother could give him some chore to do so that she and Hermione could have some privacy. The older woman may be a housewife and almost the complete opposite of what Hermione wanted for herself, but Hermione had met the woman a few times and she seemed down to earth and type to care about children regardless of if they were her own, if the way she had fussed around last year making sure Hermione and the others had everything for school before they left the Leaky Cauldron.
"So what is it you need advice about dear? Ron told me you started dating Harry recently, I assume your own mother has given you the wands and cauldrons talk, but if you need any advice on the magical aspects I'm willing to help."
Hermione shook her head. "No, it's nothing like that. One of the sixth or seventh year muggleborn girls takes all the first year muggleborn girls aside every year and teaches us the charms to stay clean and the third year girls the potion to prevent 'accidents'." She paused before continuing. "You've heard about Harry's grandfather and godfather right?" Mrs. Weasley nodded; as Hermione expected, Ron had said he had told her everything he was awake for, leaving out the parts about time travel and rescuing a fugitive. Even if he hadn't been involved in those parts it would have been enough to make his mother 'blow her top.' "Well, Mr. Potter has made an offer and it sounds great, but I wasn't raised in the magical world and I want to make sure I'm not missing any dangers or obligations out of ignorance."
Mrs. Weasley agreed and Hermione explained the offer to her, and the two women sat and went over all the implications accepting would mean. There were some things that gave Hermione pause, but as they talked them out it wasn't that bad at all. For example, if Hermione accepted then Charlus would have the right to pen a betrothal contract for her, but Hermione could void the contract simply by leaving the House of Potter. The way Mrs. Weasley explained it, each wizarding house was like its own little country of one family, you could "immigrate" to another House any time you wanted so long as the House agreed to take you. But while you were a member, you were expected to live by their rules, and in exchange you had the support of the house behind you. That would be a shield against a lot of the muggleborn discrimination Hermione would face.
After about half an hour Hermione Floo'ed back to the Leaky Cauldron where her parents had agreed to pick her up.
-ϟϟϟ-
Hermione and Ron were both surprised to be called as witnesses for the defence in Sirius Black trial, not because they didn't have anything to say but because of how last minute everything was. They were contacted by Charlus the day after they had visited Harry and only two days before the trial. Harry met with the two of them at the Ministry about an hour before the trial was supposed to begin. Ron's mother was with him, whereas Hermione's parents were both at work. Hermione gave Harry a hug as soon as she saw him. She was excited and nervous about the trial, but as soon as she saw Harry she realised that he needed her support. Not only was Harry worried about standing up in front of so many witnesses, but despite the fact that Sirius was innocent there was always a chance that the trial would be decided against him and that would mean that Harry's godfather would be executed not long after he and Harry had reunited. Given that, how could Harry not be worried about what was going to happen? Sirius had come in with Madam Bones earlier in the day to avoid the crowds and was waiting with her in her office, at least there he wouldn't be targeted by the press or attacked by anyone who hadn't heard that he was having a trial.
"Come on Harry, it'll work out." She slipped her arm around his waist.
"Well I certainly hope so, because I want to give that Sirius Black a piece of my mind. Breaking my son's leg like that. What was he thinking? He better get off so he can take his bollocking like a man." Mrs. Weasley was annoyed. At first, Grandfather Charlus looked as though he was going to say something to Mrs. Weasley, but given she made it clear that she was only going to lecture the man for breaking her son's leg, he just shrugged and decided that Sirius probably deserved at least that much for what he did. If all Sirius got was a scalding from Mrs. Weasley, then Harry would be very happy with the day's outcome.
Soon they opened up the courtroom, and Harry and the others were directed to go in and sit in the witness section. Charlus left the teens in the care of Mrs. Weasley. As a Warlock and a member of the Wizengamot, Charlus had chosen to act as Sirius's advocate, and he went to sit next to where Sirius would sit when he came in, which was a large black wooden chair that was covered in runes and had a chain dangling from each armrest. Harry really didn't like the look of it, but apparently that's where people facing trial always sit in wizarding Britain.
People started to file in and take their seats. The most common question Harry heard was "Why are we giving Sirius Black a new trial?" Harry took a little comfort in that if people thought this was his second trial, it may help when they find out he never had one originally. At least he hoped so.
Harry and the others watched as the Minister of Magic took the podium that, from the quick lessons his grandfather had given both Harry and Hermione as he prepared them for the trial, was where the person acting like a muggle judge would sit. Cornelius Fudge didn't look happy, and he had a few people sitting just below him. One was Director Bones, but he had no idea who the other two were. All he knew was that one looked like someone had stuffed a toad into a set of witches' robes and the other was a young man who looked like he hadn't slept properly in days.
Once it looked like all the Wizengamot were in their seats and ready to act as jury, Fudge banged a gavel and called the courtroom to order. He rattled off the time and date before he called for an auror to bring in the accused. A set of doors opened and Sirius came striding into the room, looking confident and like he owned the place. He walked right up to the chair and sat in it. The chains instantly wrapped themselves around Sirius's arms and held him securely in the chair.
Cornelius Fudge looked down at Sirius before saying "Sirius Orion Black, you are charged with the murder of one Peter Pettigrew, the unlawful killing of a dozen muggles, conspiracy to murder James Potter, conspiracy to murder Lily Potter, conspiracy to attempted murder of Harry Potter, and offering aid and assistance to an enemy of the Wizengamot in a time of open war. Do you wish to enter a plea of guilty and save everyone here the time and bother of this trial? If you do, I'll offer leniency and let you return to your cell without feeding you to the Dementors.
Sirius just smiled up at the minister of Magic before saying "Not guilty." The trial had begun.