Hermione's Furry Little Problem

When the train finally pulled into King’s Cross, Harry wrapped up Hermione’s bushy tail in his invisibility cloak and tucked it in while Hermione put a cap on over her furry ears. It wasn’t a perfect solution, but it would prevent unnecessary attention in the wizard and muggle worlds.

When Harry and Hermione stepped onto platform 9 and 3/4, they were startled to find Professor Lupin and Sirius waiting for them, both smirking and holding enormous bouquets of flowers.

“It would appear that congratulations are in order, Harry and Miss Granger...” Lupin began with a sly smile, “or is that Mrs Potter now?” He asked with raised eyebrows.

“How did you know?” Harry asked in bewilderment. Hermione’s eyes popped and her tail twitched anxiously.

“I didn’t see you on the Express this morning, and when I got to the Leaky Cauldron I heard that a young wizard and a cat had eloped in Hogsmeade.” Lupin replied with a straight face.

“This rather beats any of James’s youthful escapades at your age hollow.” Sirius said with a hint of awe in his voice. “We were both very big on rebellion... but responsibility, not so much. You’ve managed to demonstrate a large degree of both in a single act - and you’re not even in third year yet. ”

“We... we’re not in trouble are we?” Squeaked Hermione.

“No... not at all.” Lupin replied. “It is not generally advisable to marry at such a young age, but you both have the legal authority to do so.”

“Well, I think this calls for a celebration.” Sirius grinned.

Sirius’s house was dark and gloomy, but Sirius assured Harry and Hermione that they would be going out for dinner.

“Harry can wrap your tail up in the invisibility cloak again Hermione. But where we’re going, you shouldn’t need the cloak or cap once we get there.” Sirius said.

“Where are we going then?” Hermione asked; her ears twitched curiously. Sirius responded with a wink and a smile.

“You’ll see soon enough.”

And indeed, an hour and a half later Harry and Hermione found themselves with Sirius and Lupin in a massive London muggle nightclub full of costumed people - many of whom also appeared to be sporting furry ears and tails. Hermione was thrilled to be able to show off her fluffy tail and ears without being stared at and assaulted. In fact she received numerous compliments on how gorgeous and realistic her “costume” was.

Sirius and Lupin kept an eye on the young couple, and warned them strenuously against drinking excessively when it was obvious that it would take a shot to loosen Harry up enough for Hermione to drag him to the dance floor. Soon Hermione’s happy tail was bouncing in time to the music as she gyrated to the club beats with Harry.

After some Swedish House Mafia and Skrillex tracks, the DJ slowed things down a bit with some Ellie Goulding. The young wizard couple danced closely, arms around each other. Hermione curled her furry tail around Harry and she gazed adoringly into his green eyes which were sparkling in the strobe lights, her ears flattening slightly.

“I love you Mr Potter.” Hermione whispered into Harry's ear. She was purring loud enough for Harry to hear over the music.

“I love you too Mrs Potter.” Harry whispered back with a soft grin. Harry leaned his forehead against Hermione’s and kissed her deeply as they danced.

Lupin glanced over at Sirius who was watching the young pair, and saw tears in his eyes. He put down his cocktail and sympathetically put his hand on Sirius’s shoulder.

“They’ll be alright you know. Especially now that they have you.” Said Lupin.

“It’s not that.” Responded Sirius. “It’s just... Harry. He’s so much like James with his boldness and impetuousness, and yet... and yet...”

“...and yet Harry is even more like Lily; he has her maturity and gentle soul.” Lupin continued for Sirius, who was choking up.

It was very late when they returned to Number 12, and Sirius was more than a bit drunk. Lupin put him to bed and then sat with Harry and Hermione in the sitting room with mugs of hot cocoa by the crackling fireplace. The young married couple were a bit tipsy, but only cheerfully so. Hermione settled in Harry’s lap with her furry tail curled around him as he stroked her furry ears.

The Easter holidays flew by far too quickly. Sirius managed to find several events and places to take the two young wizards to where Hermione wouldn’t have to hide her ears and tail. Surprisingly, all were muggle: a Spring festival, a comic/anime convention, a showing of Cats at a West End theatre. And with Harry’s invisibility cloak over Hermione’s tail, they managed to engage in many other muggle activities like going for a picnic in St James’s Park, or going to the cinema.

Harry had never had so much fun as a muggle before. He had never once been to a cinema or a play, or had a picnic in a park. The Dursleys had nearly always left Harry locked in his cupboard when they took Dudley out.

And for part of each day over the holidays, Sirius and Lupin cleaned Number 12 thoroughly, room by room. Harry and Hermione joined in eagerly. Many of the Black family’s dark artifacts being destroyed, turned in to the Ministry, or sold-off, were fascinating to look at. Hermione was brought to tears when she discovered Sirius’s miserable wizened old house-elf trying to hide objects to save them from the purge.

“Isn’t there something he can have Sirius?” Hermione asked as tears rolled down her cheeks. “It’s just so sad. I know he says lots of cruel things to me, but he can’t help it.”

Sirius was moved deeply by Hermione’s concern for Kreacher, who had been very horrible to Hermione from the moment she had set foot in Number 12.

“It’s just that nearly everything I’m getting rid of has been tainted by dark magic.” Sirius sighed. “I’ll try and find something of my brother Regulus’s to give to Kreacher. Kreacher loved him and mother best.”

The four wizards finished their breakfasts together on the last day before the end of the holiday. Sirius regarded Harry and Hermione solemnly, he glanced at Lupin who nodded back encouragingly.

“Harry, I... I’m going to miss you and Hermione very much when you go back to Hogwarts tomorrow. I need you to know something. I’d like you to know that in the event that anything should happen to me, anything at all, all of this - Number 12 and my family’s Gringott’s vaults - now belongs to you.”

The young wizards gaped at Sirius, stunned into silence.

“Everything except for one vault has been transferred into your name Harry. And that vault I am leaving to you in my will. In so doing, you are now the Secret Keeper for Number 12 Harry.”

“What’s a Secret Keeper.” Hermione asked.

“That means that Harry will hold the secret of Number 12's location.” Sirius replied. “It can only be divulged by Harry, and only those to whom Harry has revealed the information can see and visit Number 12. This is very important. If Voldemort returns, this home will protect you as long as you are very careful with who you trust.” Sirius looked at his feet in shame as he concluded.

The wizards did some more cleaning after breakfast. Sirius had managed to wrest a gold locket from Kreacher after a bit of a struggle. He was just about to hurl it into his sack.

“STOP!” Hermione yelled.

Everyone stopped what they were doing immediately and turned their eyes questioningly to Hermione. Her furry ears drooped in fright.

“That... that locket - it’s Evil.” She said, sounding slightly out of breath.

“I know.” Said Sirius, perplexed. “Most of the stuff I’m chucking is Dark.”

“No, I mean I’ve felt that exact same feeling before.” Responded Hermione. “It’s not just Evil, it’s a very specific feeling. It feels exactly like Tom Riddle’s Diary.”

Professor Lupin’s face paled, and Sirius looked shocked. Sirius had browbeaten Dumbledore into telling him everything he knew about Harry’s connections to Voldemort - including the Horcruxes. He knew precisely what Hermione was on about.

“We’ll take it straight to Dumbledore first thing tomorrow .” Said Professor Lupin quietly. “This is bad. It could mean that Voldemort has more of these somewhere.

A heavy silence hung in the air. It was broken when green flames sparked in the fireplace. The figure of Arthur Weasley emerged from the fire.

Arthur looked a mess. He was out of breath, and he spoke with a panicked voice.

“Sirius, Remus, we need to get the Order together NOW! Fudge is dead. Umbridge is assuming control of the Ministry and she’s pointing the finger at YOU Sirius. She’s calling for you to be detained as a ’person of interest’ in Fudge’s murder.”