The Seriousness of Sirius Potter

"Bloody kids," muttered Hermione Granger as she walked through the door of her home and dropped her bag on the floor. She found a note in the kitchen from Ron.

Hermione, I'll be working late again. A huge delivery is coming this afternoon so I should be back about seven. Chicken would be great for tea. Ron.

"Well you can damn well cook it yourself," she grumbled. There were times when she wanted to kill Ron for his cheekiness, but there were times when she loved him for it as well. She ran her fingers through her rapidly greying hair. It had been an awful day and being married to Ron for so long meant she was no longer so restrained when it came to swearing about it. She had just started making a cup of tea by tapping the kettle with her wand when there was a knock at the door.

"If this is someone trying to sell something, I won't be responsible for my actions," Out of sheer politeness she opened the door. It was her nephew Sirius. He had something tucked under his arm. Hermione recognised it as Harry's invisibility cloak. "Sirius?" she said, a little surprised.

"Hi Aunt Hermione, can I come in?"

"Yes, of course," She stood aside to let him in. He hung the old cloak up on a hook.

"Tea?"

"Oh, no thank you,"

"Well go on into the living room, I'll be with you in a moment." She retrieved her cup of tea from the kitchen and walked into the living room. Sirius was sitting on the sofa looking very on edge. She sat down next to him and put her tea on the side table. "Now, I know for a fact that you're not meant to be out of Hogwarts at this time of day, but I also know you. You don't break rules unless it's something important. Am I right?" There was no hint of harshness or criticism in her voice. She was a strict teacher but a caring aunt. Sirius nodded.

"I'm sorry I snuck out of the castle, but I needed to talk to you,"

"Well Sirius, you know that as your Head of House my office door is always open,"

"I didn't want to talk to my Head of House. I wanted to talk to my aunt." Hermione couldn't hide her smile. She felt flattered that her nephew held her in such high regard, especially when most of her students thought she was a total bitch.

"So what's the problem?"

Sirius took a deep breath. "I've been seeing someone for about a month now," Hermione thought this was a bit anti -climatic. She had expected that he was being bullied or something. She realised now that his problem was something hormonal.

"Are you sure you wouldn't be more comfortable talking to your dad or your uncle Ron?" she interrupted. Sirius shook his head.

"No and I'd rather they didn't know anything about it yet. There's more to it. The person I've been seeing is Michael Wood, so quite obviously I'm gay." This came as a real surprise to Hermione. Sirius had always been sensitive, especially as a child but Hermione had never thought he'd grow up to be a homosexual. She had no problem with it, but she could guess what Sirius' dilemma was and who it concerned. "I have all these feelings that just suddenly appeared one day. We've been talking and he wants us to make our relationship ...public,"

"And you don't?"

"I do, I mean I don't really care what the other kids in school say. Their opinion doesn't enter into it." He paused for a moment, unsure of how to tell her who he was concerned about.

"But someone else's does," prompted Hermione. She saw that he was starting to look upset. Talking about this was obviously difficult for him, but at the same time he seemed to be happy to get it off his chest.

"Yeah, it's dad. I don't know how he would feel about me and Michael being together. I came to you because you've known him longer than I have. Maybe you might know how he ..." Sirius was stopped by a sudden burst of tears. He was in a state where he couldn't fight them back anymore, a state where one just wants to cry because it feels like the natural thing to do. Hermione offered Sirius a handkerchief. He took it gratefully and tried to dry his eyes.

"Sirius, your father loves you. Nothing can ever change that." Sirius' voice was slightly high but choked back as well.

"I'm not afraid he'll stop loving me, I'm worried he'll stop speaking to me. You've seen how things are between him and Lily. They barely see each other anymore. I just don't think I could bare dad disowning me..." More tears erupted from Sirius' ducts stopping him from speaking. Hermione pulled him closer and hugged him the way an aunt would. It had been a while since she had held anyone like this. Donald frequently got upset as a child, the twins occasionally. This was different.

"It's true your father has a temper, but he always gets over it. To be honest with you I've never heard him discuss homosexuality, so I'm afraid I can't help you there. Let me ask you one thing; are you and Michael serious about each other?"

Sirius sat up and blew his nose with the handkerchief.

"Yes we are," he gave a nervous laugh; "if only it was as easy to tell dad as it is to tell you."

"It can be, Sirius. If you and Michael are in love then you have nothing to be ashamed about. Love between two people, no matter what their gender is a beautiful thing,"

"Michael says that about us,"

"Then he knows what he's talking about. Think about it, wouldn't it be better for you to be with a boy you love than be forced to be with a girl you feel nothing for? Your dad will have nothing to get angry about. Besides, if he does he'll have me to deal with,"

Sirius smiled. Aunt Hermione had a way of making things seem much clearer, no matter how bad the situation was.

"Thank you Aunt Hermione," he hugged her warmly.

"You're welcome dear," She looked at his face and stroked his cheek with the back of her hand. "Look at you, why it seems like just yesterday when you were toddling around, taking Beaky everywhere with you. Now you're all grown up, making your own decisions and taking your life in hand. You've got nothing to worry about. Now you better be going. Don't worry; I won't take any points from Gryffindor for your sneaking out. Don't do it to much though, your father, your uncle Ron and I had a nasty habit of doing that a lot when we were kids."

She gave him a goodbye kiss and he walked out the door, disappearing under the invisibility cloak. Hermione wandered back into the living room and picked up her tea. It had gone stone cold. She shook her head and laughed.

"Bloody kids,"