Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything relating to it. Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling.

A/N: Hey! So after taking a poll on my profile I've decided to go with people's opinion and write a Sirius/Hermione story. I'll try to update it as often as possible, aiming at a chapter per week once I have the first few chapters set up! A couple of notes about the story:

Firstly, some characters are not dead as they are in canon, e.g. Remus. The pairings also do not follow canon, for the most part.

Secondly, although the story will obviously be about Sirius and Hermione, there will also be elements of adventure amongst the romance and drama.

Finally, I hope you enjoy reading this. I love getting feedback, so leave a review and let me know what you thought, whether it be positive or negative :)

- Scribbles -

Beyond

Chapter 1: A Department of Mysteries

Hermione rattled the black door's handle and cast an unlocking charm experimentally. Satisfied that the Love Chamber was still safely locked and warded, she ticked off another item on the long list jammed into the clipboard that rested on her arm.

She paused briefly to sniff at the smell wafting from under the door. Hermione sighed at the tantalising scents of fresh parchment, mint, freshly cut grass, and something she couldn't quite identify. She wrinkled her nose in frustration as she tried to place the mystery smell. It was a combination of wax candles, the pages of dusty books, and a slightly spicy musk. She wanted to envelop herself in the aroma and revel in the warm feelings it evoked.

Reluctantly, Hermione gave her head a mind-clearing shake. Rumour had it that the Love Chamber contained a fountain of Amortentia; the biggest supply of the potion in the world. If that was the case, Hermione knew she had to move on with her inspection lest she stand outside the ever-locked room to revel in its sensory caresses.

She walked down the immaculate hallway, the sound of her footsteps echoing through the maze of corridors that made up the Ministry of Magic's lowest floor. Being accepted as an Unspeakable in the Department of Mysteries two years ago had been a day of excitement only matched by the day she got her Hogwarts letter. Unfortunately, since her last project had ended, Hermione had been assigned to the routine inspection of the countless rooms in the Department. Ever since the break-in during her fifth year, the Unspeakables had upped their security measures.

Hermione opened a door and froze at the memories it evoked.

She stood at the entrance to the Death Chamber, staring around at the amphitheatre-like room that was empty except from the archway placed in the centre on a raised dais. The insubstantial curtain that hung through the centre of the arch fluttered silently, caught in a nonexistent breeze. Light distorted and refracted around the archway, creating an ominous glow punctuated with shifting streaks of rainbow light.

The Veil looked innocuous. Looking at it now Hermione could hardly believe that this was the reason Harry was without a godfather. She hadn't been back since that night and seeing the Veil standing exactly as it had five years ago reopened the deep wound that grief and war had left behind.

Hermione could almost see Sirius and his cocky grin as he battled Bellatrix. She bit her lip as she saw Sirius in her mind's eye, tumbling backwards with shock on his face before he was engulfed by the Veil like so many wizards before him.

Not wanting to stay any longer, Hermione ticked the Death Chamber off on her list and exited the eerily silent room.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she closed the door behind her. Finally, after a working week of traipsing around different rooms she had completed her task. Maybe now she could get back to her office and start deciding what she would research next. With her spirits lifted by the thought of a new project, Hermione continued down the corridor that joined back up with the entrance chamber.

Just before she turned the corner, Hermione noticed something rather strange. Another black door stood on her left as though it had always been there. With a frown and a quick flick through her list, it soon became clear to Hermione that this room was not catalogued. She approached the door and examined it.

It wasn't unheard of for rooms to appear in the Department of Mysteries. Occasionally Unspeakables had been known to stumble upon rooms like the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts or rooms that had lost their wards after centuries of invisibility. The dangers of entering such a room were numerous but the prospect of discovering previously hidden knowledge was too tempting to ignore.

Hermione reached a hand out tentatively towards the doorknob and prayed that it wasn't locked. She held her breath as she turned the handle. The door swung open with a creak and as the light from the hallway flooded in, Hermione's breath hitched.

The room was small and rectangular, no larger than her office but instead of a desk and chair filling the space the room was piled with boxes. Hermione stepped into the room and peered inside a box. Her heart started to thud with excitement as she observed the piles of ancient books and age-worn manuscripts.

Immediately marking the room on her small map attached to the clipboard, Hermione hopped from one foot to the other with impatience to examine each individual book and manuscript. She cast a quick trace on the room and reached a hand out to the nearest book...

Her hand dropped to her side and with a frustrated sigh she turned away. Hermione supposed that she should follow protocol, after all who knew what charms or curses were on the various items. Reluctantly, Hermione left the room and set out to find Kingsley Shacklebolt. Instead of the Department taking responsibility for any new finds, some ancient piece of legislation demanded that she get permission from the Minister of Magic.

Hermione raced to the lifts and hopped into the first one available, pressing the level for the Minister's office.

The Minister of Magic sat behind his desk, and Hermione smiled warmly at him as she observed him scrawling on a note before handing it to an owl. "Ah! Hermione, take a seat," Kingsley said cheerfully.

"How have you been?"

"Fine thank you, Minister," She replied.

"Call me Kingsley, I can't adjust to people calling me 'minister', it makes me think of Cornelius Fudge," He said with a shrug. "What can I do for you, anyway?" Kingsley asked.

"I found a previously unrecorded room in the Department of Mysteries," Hermione said and pointed to its location on the map she had attached to her clipboard.

Kingsley sat and considered it for a short time. "What does it contain?" He asked, running a hand over his shaved head.

"Boxes of books, manuscripts, and scrolls. I haven't looked closely enough at them to ascertain their age or usefulness but they look old," Hermione said, anxiously waiting to hear Kingsley's reaction.

"Well done on the find, Hermione. I'll send some of the guys from magical artefacts down to remove them to a safe place immediately. I imagine that you want to get started on examining them as soon as possible," Kingsley said with a grin. "They should be available for you to look over by Monday – shall I record you as having a 'project in progress'?"

"Yes please!" Hermione replied, thrilled that she was the one allocated to studying her find.

Two hours later and Hermione stood watching as three wizards checked the documents for hexes and curses and moved them to the storage room next to her office. As tempting as it was to stay and start looking over them now, she knew that if she didn't leave for home now she would be here all night.

Hermione smiled to herself, excited and satisfied after her discovery. Questions whirled through her mind. She really did work in a department of mysteries.

Making her way to the departmental fireplace, Hermione threw in some floo powder and announced "Number twelve Grimmauld Place!" With a whoosh and a vaguely nauseating spinning sensation, Hermione arrived back at her home.

She tripped out of the fireplace and looked around. "Remus?" She called out. "Are you home?"

"Hermione?" Came Remus' voice. "Quick! I need your help!"

Hermione's heart started thumping with adrenaline at the panic in his voice. She broke into a run, taking the stairs two at a time as she raced to Remus' aid.