Hermione yelped in pain as a stinging her grazed her shoulder and singed her sweater. Lupin stood across from her, his wand extended as he slowly toed closer to her. The tip of his wand spit out red light as another hex flew at her. Hermione whipped her wand around herself shouting, “Protego!” The her bounced off of her invisible shield and she moved to throw her own hex at her professor, but was once again too slow. Hermione leapt out of the way as another hex whizzed by her, narrowly missing her.

“Concentrate, Hermione!” Lupin commanded from across the field

Snow had slid up her shirt as she leapt from his her and the cold was biting into her skin. Hermione hopped up and readied herself again, she lunged as she sent a stunning spell sailing towards Lupin, but he deftly blocked it. Her face twisted in frustration and she lowered her wand. Lupin took her moment of frustration as an opportunity and stunned her.

Hermione fell stiffly to the ground and watched helplessly as Lupin crossed the snow covered grass towards her. His shoes crunched in the snow as he neared her. She could see he had holes in his trainers when his feet stopped inches from her head. He loomed over her with a sad look in his eyes, “I think we will take a break for the day.” He swished his wand over her stiff form and she felt the hex melt from her frozen muscles. He offered her his hand and she gripped it, allowing him to pull her to her feet.

Frustrated tears sparkled in her eyes, “I don’t know whats wrong with me!” she angrily wiped at her eyes with the cuff of her sweater. Though, it didn’t really matter. She was soaking wet from falling in the snow so many times, whereas, Lupin was dry except for the places where large, heavy snowflakes had landed and melted into his clothes.

“Nothing is wrong with you, Hermione. You’re doing extraordinarily well. You know the spells and your technique is beautiful. You just need more….experience.” Lupin gripped her shoulder and looked into her soft brown eyes, “Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

Hermione knew he was right. She knew what she was doing, she was just not as practiced as he was. But she knew she needed to be better. Dumbledore was expecting her to be better. How was she going to be any use to the order, if she couldn’t even properly protect herself? She nodded and let him guide her into the house.

Lupin flicked his wand and the kettle on the stove flew towards the sink and started filling with water for tea. He leaned against the counter as the dishes whirled around him and stared at Hermione. She sat in her usual seat at the small kitchen table, dejected. He crossed his arms and pondered how to begin, but was cut off when she spoke first. “Professor, I saw something the other night that I don’t think I was supposed to, but I couldn’t help myself.” Her eyes met his and she could tell he was taken aback at her brash statement. “I heard you talking to Tonks.”

Lupin’s face relaxed with relief before becoming worried again, “You shouldn’t have listened in-"

“I know, I’m sorry, sir. I just haven’t heard any news in months and when I heard someone else was here...” She trailed off looking away from him. The feeling of shame welled up in her throat, but she needed to know. “What did she mean by the law was going to affect her next?” The question sprang from her mouth and she immediately regretted it. What if it was something personal? What if it was something she wasn’t supposed to know about yet? But the weeks of being kept in the dark made her starved for information.

Remus shook his head and turned away. He started buying himself with the tea like he hadn’t even heard her.

“Professor?” Hermione prodded. Still, he ignored her. She felt all of the anger, frustration, and anxiety that she had been keeping at bay since Dumbledore had recruited her for this task welling up inside her. She stood up abruptly, the wooden chair screeching across the floor from her abrupt movement, “Professor!” she said sharply.

Lupin jumped in surprise and the dishes that were floating around him, pouring tea crashed to the floor. He whipped around and faced the young girl, seeing the emotion change from anger to regret at the sight of the mess.

“I-I'm sorry-"

Remus flicked his wand at the mess and the shards of porcelain swirled around making a small tornado of glass before neatly coming back together to form the teacups they had been before. He sighed heavily before pouring himself a cup of tea, blowing the steam as it brimmed over the edge of the cup and rose in front of his scarred face. “Do not ask me to tell you things you know I cannot.” He took a sip then added softly, “You know I would tell you if I could.”

Hermione knew he was sworn to Dumbledore the same as she was. But then, an idea came to her and she perked up a bit, “I am supposed to be on this mission for the next three years of my life-“

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Lupin snapped, “You’re not to tell me anything Dumbledore has told you!”

“-How am I supposed to stay completely in the dark for three years while learning as much as I possibly can? And once I am done, I will return exactly where I was before! When was this law put into place? A month ago? Two? I will find out right away! How will knowing about a law change anything I do? There’s nothing I can do to alter a law.” Hermione took a breath to calm herself, “Please, Professor.”

Lupin took a deep breath and eyed the girl over his cup. He seemed to consider his options for a while, warring with himself internally. After several moments passed and Hermione waited with bated breath, he finally sighed and sat at the chair opposite from her at the table. “I can only tell you very limited, need to know information.”

Hermione’s heart soared. She nodded enthusiastically, “Thank you, Professor-“

Lupin waved away her excited thanks and continued to sip on his tea and produced a copy of the daily prophet. It was from September, shortly after she left on her mission. Her eyes immediately found the headline of the front page, “Minister Approves New Marriage Law, Thousands Affected in First Wave”

“A marriage law?” Hermione spat, incredulously.

Lupin mournfully nodded, “It gets worse.” He motioned for her to continue reading.

Hermione’s eyes hungrily darted back and forth across the page. She read the entire article, then read it again. Then again. Finally, she looked up from the page and to Lupin’s distressed face, “I cannot believe this rubbish!”

“That’s the reaction most of us had when we found out, as well.”

Hermione thought back to what she had heard over the summer when Sirius had told Harry about what the Order thought the Dark Lord was planning. Both Dumbledore and the Dark Lord had people feeding them information from the inside of the ministry. Ron’s dad, Arthur, as well as Kingsley Shacklebolt were an integral part of gaining information for the Order. If the Dark Lord had his followers in high enough places, she was sure he would be able to influence laws into his favor. And this had to be one of those times. “This is the Dark Lord’s way of gaining insight, isn’t it?”

Lupin nodded, “We believe so. The ministry has been pairing people who may prove useful turning to his side or who may have insight to the Order and Ministry with known supporters of the Dark Lord. In some cases, if they are important enough, to Death Eaters.”

“Who has been paired so far?” Hermione’s heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest. In three years, she would be returned back to where she left off in September. Except she would be older. Three years older. A year older than the legal age of the wizarding community. “Professor Lupin, who has been paired so far?” She pressed. She stared into his saddened eyes. “Am I in the first wave of people to be married?”

Lupin said nothing.

Hermione’s stomach felt like it had just dropped from a ten-story building. “Who am I married to, Professor?”

Lupin shook his head, “I cannot tell you that. I’ve said more than I should have already.”

Hermione’s mind was spinning with the possibilities of who it could possibly be, “Is it you?”

Lupin choked and sputtered on his tea, “No – Hermione – it’s not me.” He said, wheezing between words. “But Dumbledore wouldn’t let you marry someone he knew you would be in danger with. Don’t worry over this too much, I know you.” He said with a small smile.

“But you…what Tonks said that night. Was she trying to propose to you?” The idea of the younger auror trying to persuade the timid werewolf made Hermione smile. And then the idea of how this must be affecting all of the Order, including her future past self, made her laugh a little. Except the laugh turned into a giggle. Which turned into a fit of laughter that she couldn’t stop. “I’m sorry, Professor, this just all seems so…ridiculous!” She was howling with laughter as she pictured herself married to any of the men in the Order. Visions of a wedding with Sirius crossed her mind, which would make her Harry’s aunt. That idea only spurred on the laughing fit. She soon heard Lupin’s bark of laughter escape him and then he, too, was howling with laughter along with her.

Hermione’s face and sides hurt from laughing for so long and she tried to catch her breath. A giggle escaping her occasionally. She finally calmed down and they were both wiping tears from her face. She was still smiling as she looked at Lupin and said, “I think you and Tonks would make a nice couple.”

This seemed to sober Lupin and his face fell into seriousness. “She is young and doesn’t understand the danger she would be putting herself into marrying me.”

Hermione snorted at that, “Oh please, Professor. She’s an auror for heaven’s sake! She’s Moody’s apprentice! If anyone can handle herself, its Tonks. And I know she fancy’s you.” Lupin sat up a little in his seat. Hermione’s lips quirked into a sly smile, “She couldn’t take her eyes off of you all summer.”

- - -

Hermione sat across from Dumbledore in his office. Today was the day she would take her tests. Lupin had quizzed her relentlessly for the past couple weeks and she was sure if he asked her another question, her head was going to spin around and pop off. She hadn’t slept since the news Lupin had shared with her. Her dreams were plagued with images of weddings and different men standing across from her at the altar. The most disturbing of which was Dumbledore’s twinkling eyes staring at her as he held her hands, sliding a wedding ring on her finger. She shuddered at the memory and was brought back to reality.

“I’m sure you have been more than ready for this day to come for the last couple months, Miss Granger.” Dumbledore said with a twinkle.

Hermione nodded; her stomach was in knots. Everything was riding on this. She needed to pass these tests with exceptional marks to prove she belonged on this mission. If not to Dumbledore, then to herself. She knew she was ready.

“Then – let’s begin!”