Chapter 40: How Do You Know That!

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I stay silent, glancing back and forth between them.

"How could you possibly know that?" Hermione asks quietly "There are maybe three people in the world that know all of that. How could you?"

I sigh. "Sorry, I can't answer that. We're getting away from talking about Sirius, anyway."

"What else do you know about him?" Harry asks. He appears to be interested and not particularly angry. That's a good sign.

I tilt my head upwards to consider the question. "I made reference to the Marauders earlier, so of course I know he went to Hogwarts in the same year as your parents, along with Lupin and Pettigrew. Lupin was already a werewolf, so they all became animagi so he wouldn't be left out. Snape was the same year, too. They hated each other with a passion, which is part of the reason Snape hates you. I know a bit about your godfather's family, too. His brother was Regulus, who joined the Death Eaters but disappeared sometime around the last war."

"His cousins are Bellatrix Lestrange - the insane Death Eater, Andromeda Tonks - who was cast out of the family for not marrying a pureblood, and Narcissa Malfoy - Draco's mother. Oh, and Sirius is the Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black, which means he's loaded, as you may have guessed when he bought you the Firebolt." I smile at that, then pause, searching my memory banks. I can't really say anything about the house, or their future, so I nod. 

"I know a few more names in the family, like Arcturus and Walburga, but I can't remember much about them. Oh! I almost forgot Phineas Nigellus Black, who was headmaster at Hogwarts a long time ago."

"That's incredible, William. How do you know—" Harry starts, but stops with a muttered curse. "Sorry, off limits, I know. Can you—do you know anything else?"

I press my lips together. "Not for sure. Don't hold me to it, but I think you and Sirius might be like second cousins or something." I'm not sure about that, but it was in a couple pieces of fanfiction, and those guys do their research. And it seemed like something Harry might appreciate knowing, a fact that is confirmed when Harry's face lights up.

Hermione's eyes are unfocused and her lips are pursed, absorbing and processing the information. It felt good to share all of that, but I'm getting worried about it now. How much will she figure out?

"You spoke to me about secrets. You know pretty much all of ours, don't you?" She asks, eyes boring into me. If I didn't know any better I might suppose she knows Legilimency.

I look away, just in case. "I don't know about all, but many of them, yes."

"Do tell."

I remain silent for a moment. "I know about your time at Hogwarts: Harry making Seeker as a First Year, the troll, the Philosopher's Stone, Norbert, Fluffy and the other Professors' traps, Voldemort's possession of Quirrell and his defeat when Harry touched him, Ginny's possession during your Second Year by the diary, Moaning Myrtle and the Polyjuice Potion, Harry speaking Parseltongue and being ostracized by pretty much the entire school – that sounds familiar, eh? 

Don't forget the basilisk, Lockhart's backfired memory charm with Ron's broken wand, freeing Dobby, and of course I already discussed Third Year."

Harry makes some hissing sounds while looking at the floor.

"Sorry, I can't speak Parseltongue, though." I say with a wry grin.

Hermione lets out a whistling breath. "Well, William, I can't come up with anything to explain to you. None of the Death Eaters know all of that. I'm pretty sure Sirius doesn't even know that much. Dumbledore might, so the best I can come up with is that he informed you and placed you here to help us. Am I correct?"

I consider answering in the affirmative, but she notices my hesitation and slaps the armrest. "The truth, William!"

I let out a breath. "No, he didn't. He doesn't know about me, and he can't. I told you he's a Legilimens, and..." I shake my head. "It would be bad if he knew, I'll just leave it at that."

Hermione rubs her temples. "What could you know that makes it so bad for him to find out?" She is asking herself.

"Please do not try to figure that out," I say quietly. "Ask me about someone else. How about Snape? Snape used to be a Death Eater, if you didn't know that already." The paled faces answer that question for me. "I see you didn't. It's true, he has the Dark Mark on his arm. He is on Dumbledore's side, though, however little he may seem like it."

"How could you possibly know for sure that he is on Dumbledore's side?"

"He knew your mother before Hogwarts, Harry. He...loved her...he still does. Snape begged Voldemort to spare her life, but he didn't. That's why I know he's loyal to Dumbledore. That's why he seems to hate you, he looks at you and he sees your mother's eyes in the face of the man who won her heart. At the same time, he looks at you, and sees his failure to protect Lily."

Once again the other two are stunned into silence. I allow them time to assimilate this information.

After minutes, the gears in Hermione's mind start turning again, and I know she's about to ask another question. Surprisingly, Harry goes first. "What can you tell me about my parents?" he asks quietly.

"I'm sorry, Harry, I don't know much more than what I've already said. I already mentioned that you might be second cousins or so because I think your paternal grandmother or great-grandmother may have been a Black, and I know the Potter line goes back a long way. I smile. In fact, I know you can trace it all the way to...Gryffindor himself." I almost said one of the Peverell brothers, but it occurs to me just in time that they don't know about the Deathly Hallows yet

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