Hermione instantly developed a guarded expression and said, "I... don't know if I should do that."
"No, Hermione," said her father. "You will do that. As your father and rightful guardian, I'm afraid I'm ordering you to do it."
Hermione winced and tried, "Sirius... ummm... perhaps if you and I were to go somewhere private―"
"No, Hermione," he firmly said. "You are a young witch and under-aged. It wouldn't be proper."
"Indeed," muttered Marc.
"Only for another couple of months," she returned. "I'll be seventeen in September and of-age in the magical world."
"Firstly," said Sirius, "That is irrelevant. Secondly, I'm led to believe that of-age in the muggle world... where we are now... is eighteen."
"It is," said her father. "Hermione, this talk has been a long time coming. Your mother and I also want to know what's been going on. And, now that Lord Black is here and obviously has already talked to quite a few others to get their sides of the stories..."
Sirius nodded.
"... He'll be able to tell us if you're leaving things out or... heaven forbid... you try to lie to us."
Again, Sirius nodded.
"I'm insisting, Hermione," Marc firmly said. "I am your father and it's time to come clean."
Hermione had a pained expression on her face and clearly appeared to want to be anywhere else, but in that sitting room. It took her mother firmly saying, "Hermione. I, too, am going to have to insist. Start talking, young lady... and you can start with your first year."
She started slowly - reluctantly - and it took a while. However, she soon started opening up to her parents and Sirius everything that had happened across the last almost five years that 'weren't right'.
When Sirius had arrived at the Grangers' it was late morning.
As Hermione had hesitantly begun to speak of what happened in the magical world - not just what she was involved in, but others as well; especially Harry - none of the three adults were willing to stop her while she was still freely speaking to them.
However, after she wrapped up second year it was then one o'clock in the afternoon. Sirius suggested they stop to give Hermione a chance to soothe her throat and Sandra suggested they stop to have lunch. She immediately invited Sirius to join them, who promptly accepted.
After eating, an again reluctant Hermione had to be again prodded to start telling them what happened in third year. However, for that year, Sirius was able to add to what had happened from his point of view.
It was during then that Sirius had called Dobby and had the little elf bring both he and Hermione a throat soothing potion.
"Dobby's with you now?" asked Hermione. "You haven't made him a slave, have you?"
Sirius sighed and said, "Miss Granger, house elves are a cursed species; believed cursed by the Great Merlin himself. In order to live they need to be bonded. Unbonded house elves quickly waste away before they soon die in agony. "They either have to bond themselves to a magical House or a place very rich in magic; and there's only three of the second in Britain. They are Hogwarts, the Ministry and Saint Mungo's. All other house elves must bond themselves to magical families.
"When Harry freed Dobby from Lucy Malfoy, unknown to Harry Dobby secretly and freely bonded himself to the House of Potter. If he hadn't, he would have died.
"As such, Dobby is willingly a house elf of House Potter. As I am now the Regent of House Potter, I could have freed Dobby. However, Dobby has begged me not to do that and, in respect for Harry, I will not do that.
"Do you understand?"
Hermione thought about it for a while before she quietly asked, "He would die?"
"Painfully," Sirius firmly returned. "And no one knows how to free them of the curse?" she asked.
"Believe me, it's been tried," he said. "The curse is believed to have been done using the old and forgotten magics. And, with Merlin believed as powerful as he was, no one has the power to break it. However, all those who have researched it have come away from it with the belief it would be a bad idea, anyway.
"At the time Merlin cursed them, house elves were considered an evil race of beings. The wizarding world was at war with them... and the wizarding world was losing. It's why it is believed Merlin did it."
"I would still like to look into it," she quietly said.
"And you're welcome to," he returned. "I just ask that you research it before you get it into your head to try and fix it."
She nodded back. "Anyway," said Sirius. "You were up to the part where Harry saw me drag Ron to the Whomping Willow..."
Once Hermione had finally finished it was late afternoon and Sirius was again invited to stay for the meal; this time, dinner.
He thanked them, accepted and said, "This now brings me to the next reason why I'm here."
When the three Grangers nodded back, he said, "Firstly, do not worry about the hospital costs of Hermione's treatment at Saint Mungo's; I've already paid it."
As the three Grangers were shocked, it was Marc who spoke; blurted, really.
"What?! Why did you do that?"
"Because your daughter, already knowing it was a likely trap of Riddle's at the Department of Mysteries, still went there with Harry to try and rescue me," he replied. "As such, I accept it was my responsibility, as Harry's magical guardian, to ensure she was both properly cared for at the hospital and to pay the costs. It was the very least I could do."
When the Grangers settled again, accepting, with even Marc nodding in acceptance, Sirius gave them the next bit of news.
Looking to Marc he said, "I take it from your reactions during Hermione's recollections that you will not be allowing your daughter to return to Hogwarts."
"Hell, no!" Marc blurted.
"What?" Hermione exclaimed. "But... daddy!"
"No, pumpkin!" he firmly returned. "Not just no, but Hell no!"