Lion Heart³ | James Potter

twenty-three

25th of July, Saturday, 1981

(Until the End//Chloe Ament)

A gentle knock sounded on the door, but Andrea couldn't even bare to lift her head off her pillow.

It opened nevertheless, Peter sticking his head through the opening. "Hey, Bambi," he tried to smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I got you something." He moved Andrea's legs slightly to the side and sat down on the mattress beside her.

She followed his movements as he pulled something out of his pocket; a cherry-flavoured lollipop. 

She followed the motion with her eyes but said nothing. He held it in front of her face so she could see it.

"You want some?" Andrea shook her head. He wiggled it in front of her eyes. "It's really bad for you, I promise." She couldn't help the smile that managed to crack through at that, accepting the lollipop as he unwrapped it.

"I'm sorry, Andie. And I know this is the last thing you want right now but Dumbledore's downstairs. Says it's important to talk to you and James."

Andrea rolled her eyes. "It's always important or urgent with that guy. What is it this time, too many flowers in our garden? It'll attract unwanted attention?"

"More that You-Know-Who thinks Harry is his greatest enemy that has the power to destroy him so he wants to kill him."

Andrea stopped dragging her feet then, instead sprinting down the stairs to meet James, Dumbledore and Remus in the family room, Sirius still not back to visit after everything with Marlene and Dorcas.

Peter came a few seconds after her, joining Remus' side.

"We'll leave you guys to it. I gotta get Marly down for a nap," Remus smiled, holding his daughter tight. It had only been a few days but he had missed her so much it hurt.

"Mama and Mommy?" Marly asked excitedly.

Remus kissed her head, swallowing back tears. "Not today, but maybe some other time. In the meantime, you'll be living with Paddy and Moony." Marly clapped at that, thrilled at the idea.

As Remus, Peter and Marly headed off, Andrea's attention snapped to Dumbledore. "What's this about You-Know-Who wanting to kill our baby?" she snapped aggressively.

James wrapped an arm around her, rubbing her side to try and help calm her. "There must be something we can do. We can't just sit here like pigs waiting at the slaughter."

Dumbledore nodded, his gaze looking pained. "Please, if you give me a minute to explain. I'll let you know everything I know."

Andrea bit her lip, trying to stop herself from more outbursts. "Go ahead," James said, unconvinced that Dumbledore would ever tell him everything he knew in any situation.

"As you might or might not know, Regulus Black is a Death Eater."

"WHAT?!"

"BULLCRAP!"

Dumbledore held up a hand. "Please. It's a bit of a long story and I need to tell it. All of our lives are at risk the longer we sit here."

That got them to shut up.

"It seems, you didn't know. But yes, he has been a Death Eater ever since his last year at Hogwarts. I've been keeping a close eye on him but he never seemed to be doing anything too bad. Never killed anyone, never kidnapped any families. He came to me two days ago, and explained that his work as a Death Eater had nothing to do with him believing in what that organization stood for, but more trying to get the deepest intel on his enemy."