After getting Harry some new clothes and properly fed for the day, they went back to 4 Privet Drive, with Jake Apparating them to the backyard to not arouse much suspicion. Hermione, being her first time apparating, handled it rather well. Vernon Dursley ran out to the backyard to see what the racket was about, "Back are you? You're kind are really starting to-" he stopped when he realized he was being ignored.
"Harry, I know we didn't go into much detail while shopping and just enjoying the day for the past few hours, but Hermione is going to wherever Dumbledore wants her to go, and she's going to pretend like she can't tell you anything about this," Jake explained to him, "I'm going to visit you twice a week until your birthday, which by then you should be able to go Number Twelve, Grimmauld place, as well as myself... maybe."
"Maybe? You mean you don't know if you'll get to go?" Harry asked him.
"It's possible..." Jake said.
" GET OUT !" Vernon raged at them.
Jake's eye glowed red as he waved his hand in Vernon's direction, silencing the man completely, "Your Uncle is fucking loud and obnoxious."
"You don't know the half of it..." Harry said, smiling a little bit.
"Right, well, if you need me for anything, just Owl me and I'll apparate here the second I see you need my help," Jake said and the three of them walked towards the House, Vernon still yelling, even though no sound was coming from him. Jake unsilenced him and managed to grab him on the front of his wide neck, "You listen to me, if I find that Harry is being mistreated one more time, I will return here, and it will not be pretty," Jake's voice was threatening as the air got dense around him, "don't give me a reason to return." He let go of Vernon, who began gasping for air and fell backwards, holding his throat. He turned to Hermione, who was looking at him, but not disapprovingly, "Ready to go back to the Tower?"
"Yes," Hermione said and smiled. She turned to Harry, "Bye, Harry, I'll see you again after your birthday." She waved to him and grabbed Jake's hand, feeling herself be pulled through a small tube, and appearing back at the Tower. She let go of his hand and suddenly embraced him, resting her cheek on his torso, "I will not stay there if you aren't allowed to go too... I will come straight back here, do you understand me?"
She felt him kiss the top of her head, "Of course, Hermione. No one can tell you where you can and can't stay, except for your parents."
She smiled, "Yeah... I love you, Jake."
"I love you as well, Hermione," he said and they let go of each other. They spent the rest of their day reading, practicing spells, or just cuddling on the chair enjoying each other's bodies against one another; this of course was achieved by Hermione sitting on his lap and leaning back against him as his arms snaked around her midriff. Hermione decided she would reply to Dumbledore tomorrow. "Hermione... there's something else I think you should know..."
"What's that?" She looked up at him.
"Dumbledore is a Master at what's called Legilimency. It lets a Witch or Wizard enter another person's mind for information," he said.
"What?" Hermione's eyes widened.
"He might try and gather information from you without your knowledge. There is a counter to it though, it's called Occlumency. Merlin and all of his descendants were natural Occlumens, I am too. That means I don't have to think about putting up defenses against a Legilimens. There is a book over there that talks about learning Occlumency, and I think for the rest of your time here, you should learn Occlumency, and I can try to help," Jake explained.
It was a lot for Hermione to take in, but she was eager to learn something she didn't know about, "Alright, let's start right now."
"I don't know how well it will work, because I haven't practiced Legilimency, so I couldn't go poking around in your mind to test your progress..." he said, feeling a bit regretful for bringing it up.
"It doesn't matter, we will just have to hope that I can pick it up quickly," she smiled up at him before they went to go and get started.
*******
Two days later Hermione was set and ready to go to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. She didn't want to, but Jake urged her to go, so she decided in the end, she was going, "I'll see you in a couple of weeks hopefully."
"You will, whether it's back here, or at Grimmauld Place, you'll see me again," he smiled and kissed her. He quickly added, "If in doubt, about your Occlumency progress, just avoid looking Dumbledore directly in the eye. Eye-contact is what keeps the connection."
Hermione smiled and nodded, and took one last look around the Tower; so much had already happened in her short time there, and she was leaving it. She grabbed some floo powder, stepped into the Fireplace and said, "Leaky Cauldron," before throwing the powder down.
Once she arrived back at the Leaky Cauldron she stepped out and saw that the pub was mostly empty today. It was still early morning, so she didn't expect much of the sort. She sat down at one of the many empty tables and pulled out a book, the only book she took from the Tower, Guide to Advanced Occlumency . Jake, regrettably, didn't have an easier to learn from book, but Hermione did like a challenge. In the end, she decided she would just not look Dumbledore in the eye if she saw him.
It was to her surprise that it was not Dumbledore who came to get her, but instead it was Molly Weasley and someone else, someone Hermione didn't recognize, someone with plum purple hair. She closed the book, put it in one of her bags, and stood up, "Morning Mrs. Weasley," Hermione extended her hand and Molly shook it.
"Morning Hermione," Molly said with a warm smile, "I know it must not be easy, leaving them both out of the loop like this, but Dumbledore assured everyone it's for their best interest at the moment. Ron's been eager to see you - er - all of you again," Molly quickly corrected.
'Oh, I'm sure he did, and I'm sure Ron has,' Hermione thought to herself, but she couldn't understand why Ron would be eager to see her , "Right, of course," Hermione nodded in false understanding, "Er - I don't mean to be rude sounding if I do sound that way, but may I ask who you are?" She asked the other Witch that showed up with Molly.
"Name's Nymphadora Tonks, but call me Tonks, I hate Nymphadora," Tonks said and extended her hand, which Hermione shook.
"Nice to meet you, er - Tonks," she wasn't used to straight up calling someone by their last name, "I'm Hermione Granger."
"I know who the Brightest Witch of her Age is. Remus Lupin has called you that several times at the place we're going," Tonks said cheekily as Hermione's cheeks burned.
"Well, I'm all ready to go," Hermione said, "how are we getting there?"
"Apparition," Tonks said, "you'll side-along apparate with me. Have you ever apparated before?"
"Once..." she lied. She had done it twice, once back to Harry's residence, and once back to the Tower, this would be her third time apparating.
"It gets easier, don't worry," Tonks smirked and Hermione grabbed onto her. She once again found herself with the feeling of being squeezed through a tiny tube as they apparated to the outside of Grimmauld Place, no Muggles around to see their arrival, thankfully. Hermione saw Number Eleven and Number Thirteen.
"So Number Twelve is hidden normally?" Hermione asked Tonks.
"You really are the Brightest Witch of your Age, aren't you? When Ron got here, he said there was no way we could be at the right place, there must be some mistake ," Tonks revealed.
'Sounds like Ron,' she thought, "How do you get it to show up?"
"A couple of ways, and this is one of them," Tonks waved her wand in a specific motion and before Hermione's eyes, Number Eleven and Number Thirteen moved apart as Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place seemed to build itself in between them the farther apart they got. Soon enough, Grimmauld Place was before her, and the Muggles in Eleven and Thirteen were none the wiser. The place looked grimy and the windows musty and dirty compared to the two beside it, Hermione noticed. Tonks, Molly, and Hermione all three walked up to the front door and Molly placed her wand carefully against the door, indicating secrecy of some sort. Hermione almost thought she was going to be initiated in a ritual as an induction into a secret society, but she knew better.
The sound of metal locks clinging and clanging from behind the door, and then the clattering of a chain was heard, "Let's get in quick," Molly said, opening the door and ushering Tonks and Hermione inside.
"I'll show you to your room, be careful to not touch anything or make a loud noise," she informed her as Molly went elsewhere in the residence.
"Can I ask why?" Hermione asked.
"Mmm, better to not tell you right now. I'm sure Sirius will explain it at some point anyway," Tonks looked back briefly.
"Sirius is here? Am I right in assuming this place is more than just a place for him to hide?" Hermione asked.
"You would be correct," Tonks led her up a flight of stairs.
"So Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, does it belong to Sirius Black?" Hermione asked.
"If I didn't already know you were the Brightest Witch of your Age, that would have given it away. Yes, this place does belong to Siriu-" Tonks tripped up the stairs, swearing loudly as she did.
Hermione heard the most awful sound coming from down the stairs. It was a woman's voice, yelling profanities in an ear-splitting, blood curdling scream, " FILTH ! SCUM ! BY-PRODUCTS OF DIRT AND VILENESS ! HALF-BREEDS, MUTANTS, FREAKS, BEGONE FROM THIS PLACE ! HOW DARE YOU BEFOUL THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS- "
Hermione dropped her things on the landing and hurried back down the stairs to see what was going on. She followed the voice as it screeched horribly and came to find herself in front of a large portrait of a woman who looked a little familiar.
" MUDBLOODS TOO ! HAVE YOU ALL NO RESPECT FOR THE NOBLE HOUSE OF BLACK !?" She yelled in Hermione's face.
"I've told you to shut up!" Came a man's voice, a man Hermione knew. She turned to see Sirius running up to her, "Shut up you old Hag! Shut up!" Sirius, with great difficulty, began to pull the curtain closed.
Before she was completely hidden away, she yelled at Sirius, " YOOOOOOU ! BLOOD TRAITOR ! ABOMINATION ! SHAME OF MY FLESH !" The curtain then closed her away.
"Sirius..." Hermione said, taking a good look at him as he looked at her, "was that your mother?"
"It was, how did you guess that?" He asked, looking quite surprised.
"I mean no disrespect to you, but it was the face, you and her have similar features," Hermione said.
"Oh, no, it's an unfortunate fact," he said, but he was smiling, laughing a bit, "How have you been?"
Before Hermione could answer, Molly came up again, "Now Sirius, she just got here, let her go unpack and say hi to Ron at least before you two catch up?"
"Don't worry, I won't take long," Hermione said, and when Molly turned in front of her, she saw Sirius mouth in a mocking manner, and Hermione, quite honestly, barely held her laughter in.
She walked back up the stairs with Molly and Tonks and to the room she was sharing with Ginny, "Hello, Hermione," Ginny greeted her from her bed.
"Hey, Gin," Hermione said after Tonks and Molly left, "how long have you all been here?"
"Since the first day of summer break it feels like... oh, that's probably because it was," her tone had a hint of loathing in it.
"Oh, I can see how that would be frustrating," Hermione said sympathetically.
"It's more than frustrating," Ginny said, "Mum won't get off my case about anything."
"What's she having you do?" Hermione asked.
Before Ginny could say anything, Ron appeared at the doorway, "Hermione!" He said loudly and hurried over to her. She stood up to greet him by hugging him, they were still friends after all. "Did you just get here?" He asked as they pulled back from the hug.
"Basically, yeah," she smiled and went back to her bag, but remembered what was on top, so she couldn't unpack, not in front of Ron, at least.
"Mental isn't it?" Ron asked her.
"What is?" She asked, sitting down on her bed. It wasn't overly comfy, but she wouldn't have restless nights at least.
"Not being able to Owl Harry or Jake, what's so important that they can't know anything?" Ron asked, sitting down next to Hermione, but with about one meter in between them.
"I don't know..." Hermione said, wondering what exactly was so important.
"Oh, Hermione, I can only imagine how bad it must be for you. Jake is your best friend and you aren't able to keep him in the loop..." Ginny said.
"And don't bother trying to Owl anything to him... Mum's been reading every outgoing letter anyone still in Hogwarts tries to send," Ron informed her.
"That's good to know... I guess I'll only tell him that I'll see him soon... when will we get to see them?" Hermione asked, though she already suspected.
"After Harry's Birthday, Mum said, but that was only for Harry, she said nothing about Jake. When we asked why, she just yelled at us and told us we weren't old enough to know... honestly, if You-Know-Who really is back, I don't see why we shouldn't be told as well," Ron said angrily.
"What do you mean, 'if You-Know-Who really is back'?" Hermione asked him, her eyes thin to indicate she was glaring at him.
"He is, he is..." Ron said quickly, "but still, why shouldn't we be told anything?"
"I agree, Ron, we should be told something , being kept in the dark doesn't help us any," Hermione crossed her arms.
"Fred and George," Ginny started, before standing up and going to check out of her room. She looked left and right, and when she seemed satisfied, she came back to Hermione and Ron, "The Twins have been inventing some sort of Extendo-Ears to allow us to listen in on their conversations they have during meetings."
"Meetings? Meetings for what?" Hermione asked.
"Some sort of Secret Society called the Order of the Phoenix . Dumbledore heads it, but that's all we were told," Ron shrugged.
"Right... well, leave, Ron," Hermione said, ushering him out.
"Why?" He asked shortly.
"I have to unpack," Hermione said, putting one hand on her bag as she put her weight onto one foot.
Ron thought for a moment, and Hermione saw his face and ears redden as he left without saying a word. Hermione was about to unpack when Tonks appeared at the doorway, "Hermione, can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure," she said and followed Tonks down the hall and into an empty room, "What's up?"
"I know you and Jake were with Harry a couple of days ago," Tonks said when the door closed and she placed the Silencing Charm on the door.
"You... you do?" Hermione's heart began pounding in her chest, and she could practically hear it in her ears.
"Yes... Dumbledore has been having Harry followed daily since getting back to his Uncle's home, and that day you both took him out for the day, obviously I was his watcher, to make sure he didn't have to do any magic... I didn't step in when Jake threatened his Uncle, mostly because I was afraid of what he'd do if I revealed myself... and I didn't tell anyone in my report for the Order that you both were there, and I haven't told anyone that you both told Harry about Grimmauld Place... Was that a mistake, Hermione?"
"No, it wasn't a mistake. You saw how Harry's Aunt and Uncle treat him almost daily, he was thin, and his clothes were so baggy, he'd have to be as heavy as his cousin to fit them properly... I was with Jake when Dumbledore's letter came, and I showed him. He's my best friend, my closest friend, of course I'm going to show him," Hermione said in a normal tone, she saw no reason to be nervous in front of Tonks, "that was when we decided to go to Harry... I wasn't originally going to come here, but Jake told me I should."
Tonks looked at Hermione analytically for a moment, "Okay, okay... I'm placing a monumental amount of trust in you, Hermione, don't make me regret this..."
"We won't, Jake and I," Hermione said with conviction.
"That's what I wanted to hear," Tonks smiled at her and they both left the room. Hermione returned to her shared room with Ginny to finally begin unpacking.
*******
A couple of weeks passed, and it was closing in on Harry's Birthday. Jake, as expected, hadn't heard much from Hermione, not even an encoded letter, but he figured it was too risky to do even that. He had written to Harry at least a couple of times every day, just to make sure he was okay each day.
However, he hadn't heard from Harry today. He was busy with his Alchemy Set when it was time that Harry usually sent Hedwig to tell him that he was still being treated well. He pushed himself away from the table and went over to a window, and there wasn't a single Owl in sight. That settled that, he walked over to the fireplace, "Merlin, I haven't heard from Harry, and before you say it, Hedwig has arrived at precisely Nine Fifty-three every morning. Something is wrong."
"If you believe something to be wrong, then you should make sure that it isn't just a bad feeling. Go make sure your friend is alright," Merlin encouraged.
"Right... next stop, Four Privet Drive," Jake said and he Apparated to the Dursley residence. He had only been in the Living Room of their House, so it was the only choice he had to Apparate to. He appeared in the middle of the room, where Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley were watching the TV.
" YOU ! GET OUT ! GET OU -" the rest of Vernon's words dissolved into nothing as his mouth moved, but no sound came from it
"Where's Harry?" Jake asked Petunia. She shakily pointed to the stairs, indicating he was up in his room. Jake didn't unsilence Vernon as he walked up the stairs. He walked down the hall, turning the handle to each door until one of them didn't turn. He pointed his finger at it, the glow of his right eye reflecting on the doorknob, " Alohomora ." The lock clicked open and he turned the handle, walking into the room, "Harry, is everything okay?"
"Jake!? Did Hedwig already arrive with her letter?" Harry asked him.
"What? No, she didn't show up, that's why I'm here. I was afraid something had happened..." Jake said, trailing off as the look on Harry's face indicated some did happen, "... What happened?"
Harry then explained his ordeal of yesterday, making sure to not leave out any crucial detail. He included how his neighbor, Mrs. Figg, was a Squib tasked with watching Harry since he was left with his relatives, and a Wizard named Mundungus Fletcher was supposed to be watching Harry at the time when a Dementor appeared. He also mentioned to Jake about his Patronus, and that it took the form of a Stag.
"First of all, that's pretty awesome you cast a Corporeal Patronus. But a Dementor ? What the fuck was a Dementor doing in Little Whinging?" Jake asked him. It also occurred to him that if Dumbledore had someone watching Harry since he was left at Privet Drive, then Dumbledore knew Harry was treated this was his whole life, 'And he still kept him here... you bastard...'
"I don't know... I also got three letters. Technically all from the Ministry, but one of them was from Ron's dad," Harry said, handing each letter to Jake in the order they came in.
Jake sat in silence as he read each letter on the edge of Harry's bed. Something wasn't adding up, "They were straight up going to break your wand? Not even bothering to see why Underage Magic was done? Straight up just, Oh, we are sorry this is an inconvenience to you, but because of your Underage Magical use, your wand is forfeit ," he said in his best British voice. At the very least it got Harry to laugh.
"Is that how we sound to you?" Harry asked him.
"More or less, yeah," Jake smirked, but his face turned serious again, "A disciplinary hearing on August 12th... well, Dumbledore won't let you lose your wand or let you be kept from attending Hogwarts. Even if I don't like the Headmaster, he does have a lot of pull..." 'My main concern is that Dementor... they still answer to the Ministry until they hear Voldemort has returned... then again, just over a year ago the Dementors went rogue when they almost Kissed Hermione... there might not be any counter besides the Patronus Charm... but I would've erased them from existence if they had managed it. The one that attacked Harry... it was sent there... it had to be... but by who?' Jake wasn't able to wrap his head around anything concrete, or even anything that made sense to him, "So Arthur told you to not do what the first letter said would happen? To not let your wand be snapped, but to not leave this hellhole?"
"Yeah... I'm infuriated right now... oh yeah... Sirius also sent a letter, telling me to not leave the House again," Harry was shaking from how frustrated he was.
Jake saw that he was not only shaking, but mentally and emotionally shaken too, having to see a Dementor, and after what happened just over a month ago, Harry probably relived that as well as hearing his mother screaming. Harry always wore his emotions on his sleeve. Jake, even though he got angry often, and it showed visibly through his actions, he had remarkable constraint when it came to showing his true emotions, his true feelings. The number of times he held back on outright killing someone in front of his peers or teachers at Hogwarts surprised even him one time. Even though he'd wanted to confess his feelings to Hermione since she kissed him in Third Year, he kept those repressed until the end of last school year. Maybe he was biased, but he felt like he was able to control his emotions surprisingly well, despite all the anger that radiated from him.
"Let's go somewhere," Jake said.
Harry's face lit up, but he was still hesitant, "Are you sure? I mean-"
"Of course I'm sure... we both know Sirius would've gone out anyway in his younger days. I'm sure if he wasn't wanted by the Ministry for escaping Azkaban, he'd have come to see you himself in his human form. I say fuck all of them and let's go enjoy the day. You'll be with me, no one is gonna fuck with you while I'm around," Jake said and Harry looked like his Birthday had come a few days early.