"So, where do I come in?" he asked in defeat, arms crossed over his chest like a
petulant child stuck in the corner. "I assume Mi—Hermione had a purpose for bringing me
back? Some grand plan where I am greatly needed?"
"Actually, no." Remus shook his head, looking surprised by the day's events. "Not
that I'm not thrilled you're alive, Padfoot, believe me, but she gave no reason. Mentioned
that she'd discovered something while researching and needed to get into the Department
of Mysteries to test a theory. That's all she said. I agreed, of course, because I naturally
assumed she was going there―"
"To get the Time-Turner?" Sirius interrupted him.
"Yeah," Remus affirmed. "We found the Time Room, but after a minute of looking
around, she left to find the room with the veil."
"So she didn't... ?"
"No. She didn't get it."
"So, what does that mean?" Sirius asked, panic in his voice. "How old is she?"
"Almost eighteen."
Sirius did the math in his head. "Another year?"
Remus nodded. "If we survive it."
"And then what?"
"And then I do my part," Remus said with a small smile as he reached into his robes
and removed a Time-Turner.
"... and you think we're just going to let you, Harry, and Hermione go gallivanting
off on some hare-brained adventure!?"
Hermione could hear Mrs Weasley screaming from the kitchen the moment she
stepped out of the fireplace. Wincing, she tried to quietly make her way toward the staircase
in order to avoid being caught up in the conversation that Ron should have had with his
parents weeks ago.
"Oh, no you don't!" Ron called after spotting her. "Don't go throwing me under
the bus!"