"Deliberate misdirection on the part of myself and my advisors." Sirius confirmed. He nudged Harry's shoulder with his own. "We wanted to make sure my getting custody of this one went off without a hitch. Unfortunately there are too many people out there who would have loved to have interfered since Harry is famous in the wizarding world, and after the events surrounding me..." he gave a shrug.
"Understandable." Wallace said. "And, congratulations."
"Thank you." Harry said, beaming at Sirius again.
"I believe you had something to talk to us about?" Miriam prompted. "Professor Lupin was quite vague but he mentioned something about a life debt? Hermione has already done some research and she tells us that they're quite important in the wizarding world."
Harry was unsurprised. He turned to Hermione. "So what did you find out?"
"Well, just what Mum said really." Hermione admitted with some chagrin. "There wasn't a great deal of information in the books I have and I haven't had time to get to Diagon Alley to find something more relevant."
"Maybe I should explain more?" Sirius offered easily.
Everyone nodded and Harry was amused to realise that all three Grangers had identical looks of fascination, curiosity and anticipation. Hermione was almost vibrating in her seat opposite him.
"Historically, life debts had much more importance than they do now." Sirius began. "It used to be that if one wizard saved the life of another that the rescued wizard would have to remain beside their rescuer until they had returned the favour. That went out of fashion around the time the Ancient and Noble Houses were formed."
Harry shifted, a tad bored because he'd heard it before.
"It then became a matter of honour for the Houses." Sirius explained. "If a member of one House saved the member of another, it created a political debt between them that could only be satisfied with an alliance or an exchange of money or property of some sort – usually negotiated dependent on the relative value of the person saved. If you saved the youngest daughter, for instance, that would be viewed differently than saving the Heir to the House or the Head of House. The former might be offered in marriage, for instance, but the latter might determine a House alliance."
"It all sounds very Victorian or do I mean Edwardian?" Miriam commented. "Austen-ish anyway."
Sirius smiled at her. "If you mean old-fashioned, you'd be right. It is even for the wizarding world."
"What about if you weren't from a House?" Hermione jumped in enthusiastically. "What happens then?"
"Ah, well. If a member of a House saved the life of an ordinary wizard or witch then the ordinary wizard or witch would become beholden to them to a degree and would pay off the debt by working on the estates of the House or performing other services for the House." Sirius said. "Equally, if it was the other way around, the House became responsible for the ordinary wizard or witch and would ensure employment and safety – they gained the protection and sanctuary of a House."
"Is it a magical bond?" Hermione immediately moved to her next question.
"No," Sirius laughed, "magical bonds of any kind are very rare and the most common are between wizards, or witches, and their familiars. There are twin bonds but beyond that – no. An oath might be taken as part of the life debt payment." He motioned with his beer bottle. "Equally if an oath was already in existence, incurring a life debt may make the person involved more inclined to keep that oath. But as I've said to Harry, only oaths to Ancient and Noble Houses can be enforced through magic – and that's usually a Judgement after the oath has already been broken. Oaths in general are nothing more than verbal contracts."
All three Grangers went to ask a question and all stopped abruptly and looked at each other to decide which was going to get the chance to ask their question.
Sirius and Harry exchanged smiles at the silent Granger communication going on in front of them.
Both parents looked at their daughter expectantly and Hermione sat back with a quiet huff as she acknowledged she'd already had the opportunity to ask two questions. Wallace waved a hand at his wife.
Miriam smiled. "You said this was the fashion but no longer?"
"Life debts aren't usually acknowledged these days and if they are, usually at the insistence of the older generation, then it's a token gesture – a favour or money." Sirius said. "However, the Houses follow the tradition between themselves as it's a matter of honour."
"Now my question," Wallace said, raising his own beer, "what does a life debt have to do with Hermione?"
"Your daughter, along with Harry, saved my life." Sirius answered simply.
Miriam and Wallace glanced at their daughter who was turning cherry red under the attention.
"I assume because she gave evidence to aid your acquittal?" Miriam asked perplexed.
Sirius raised an eyebrow at Hermione in a silent question of 'have you told them?' and received a brief shake of a head in response. Harry threw her an apologetic look – they hadn't meant to get her in trouble.
"On the night I was captured at Hogwarts," Sirius said firmly, "the Headmaster gave Hermione and Harry permission to help me escape. They used a magical device to help get them to the right place, found transportation for me and got me out of the office where I was locked up. If it hadn't been for them I would have forfeited my soul to a Dementor."
"And why is this the first we're hearing about it if you had the Headmaster's permission?" asked Wallace, staring pointedly at his daughter.
"The device," Harry jumped in, "the magical device we used – Hermione wasn't supposed to tell anyone else about it. Sirius and I only got told because of the Headmaster's permission to use it."
Hermione shot him a grateful look and nodded at her parents. "And I didn't want to worry you." She admitted honestly. "I mean, this year has been relatively quiet and normal really compared to first and second year and…"
"Hermione," Miriam interrupted sternly.
Hermione grimaced, her eyes downcast. "Sorry, Mum."
"We're not angry with you," Miriam cast a look at Harry and Sirius, and Harry got the distinct impression that she regretted the conversation was taking place in front of them, "but I am disappointed that you felt you couldn't tell us not even in general terms."
"I feel I should apologise," Sirius began.
"Please don't," Wallace said immediately, "I dare say Hermione's reticence is in part our fault as we may have indicated to her that we weren't happy with the amount of danger this school of hers seems to place her in every year. Did you know somebody let a troll into the school in her first year which almost killed her? And then she was in a magical coma the year after?" He huffed out a breath at Hermione's dejected face. "We discussed not sending her back for her third year which is why I think someone was reluctant to tell us what happened."
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