The Disgraced of the House of Black - A Multi-Character Fanfiction - Part One

119. Grimmauld Place

"Ginny," Althea said suddenly.

It was dark in their room, so dark, in fact, that they couldn't see one another or even a single ray of light. They were meant to be sleeping, but Althea couldn't.

"Yes?" Ginny replied.

Althea was quiet for a moment before she finally sighed as she said, "Nothing. Never mind."

"What is it?" Ginny asked.

Althea could tell by the sounds that she had rolled over closer to her side of the room.

With a sigh, she admitted, "I accidentally overheard a conversation between Remus and Sirius the afternoon we came here. I just...I don't know what to make of it."

"What did they say?"

"Well..." Althea began before hesitating. Finally, she admitted, "Remus was talking about how upset he was about the fact that the wizarding world knows he's my father. He's blaming himself for the accusations and name-calling that's happened so far to Mum and me. Sirius was telling him he was being stupid and to get over it."

"I still can't believe none of you told me about Sirius," Ginny said with a sigh. "I understand why the other three didn't, but...why didn't you? We've been sharing a room for like four weeks each year since you started at Hogwarts." With an amused smile, she added, "You're like, the closest thing to a sister I have."

"I know," Althea said, rolling over to sit up. "I'm sorry Ginny. I would have told you, but the others made me promise not to tell anyone anything. It was nothing personal."

"So you didn't tell anyone at all?" Ginny asked.

Althea hesitated.

"Well," she said finally.

"What?" Ginny exclaimed with a gasp, jumping to sit up. "Who did you tell?"

Althea let out a laugh as Ginny's pillow hit her in the face.

"Don't worry about it!" she cried, attempting to dodge another hit in the dark. "Ginny!"

"What are you girls doing?" Mrs Weasley snapped, opening the door with a deep frown, illuminating her wand.

Flinching from the light, Althea and Ginny glanced at each other before Althea said, "Sorry, we were about to go to sleep."

"I better not hear another sound from you two tonight," Mrs Weasley said. "We've got lots to do tomorrow."

"We won't, Mum," Ginny said.

The moment the door shut, Ginny broke into a fit of silent giggles. Coming to sit on the edge of Althea's bed, she whispered, "Who did you tell?"

Althea sighed, finally admitting, "I told Neville. He was asking questions and it was before they'd made me promise. I just happened to not mention that I'd told him."

"Okay, then," Ginny said, returning to her bed and curling up to sleep. "Goodnight, Thea."

"Goodnight," Althea replied.

.

"Ellis!" Lyra called, tossing aside her coat as she stepped into the flat they were renting together.

"In here," he called back.

Stepping into the living room, Lyra found him sitting on the couch, the coffee table before him covered in books. Stacks of parchment surrounded him as well as a pot of ink. A broken quill lay beside him while the quill he seemed to currently be using was being held between his teeth as he quickly leafed through a book.

Removing the quill, he quickly scribbled something on the parchment before he finally glanced up and asked, "How did it go?"

"Fine," she replied, tossing off her cloak. "Voldemort tell you the assignment yet?"

"Yeah," Ellis replied, flipping to the next page of his book distractedly. "It's not exactly going to be a difficult task. The dementors will agree the moment we deliver Voldemort's terms."

"True," Lyra replied, sitting down. "What's all this, then?"

"Research," Ellis replied dismissively, scratching out another phrase.

"Ellis, I can't help you if I don't know what you're doing," Lyra said irritably. "I am risking everything here. I gave up a top position at a highly accomplished school for this, so you better give me something better than 'Research'."

Still not looking up, Ellis explained briskly, "There isn't anything to tell yet, Lyra. I've just been researching how other wizards have tried to elude death. Nothing so far." Bitterly, he amended, "Nothing that worked, anyway."

"What are we going to do about the dementors?" Lyra pressed.

With a small sigh, Ellis finally looked up, explaining patiently, "Summon them for a meeting, tell them Voldemort's proposal, and get them to agree which won't be any harder than telling them the terms. Once we've done that, we wait until he gives us the go-ahead to break out my brother and sister as well as whoever else he tells us to."

"Okay," Lyra said, still sounding slightly peeved. "That's all you had to say."

Rolling her eyes, she got up and left for the second bedroom, which she had claimed for herself. Ellis shot a glare in her direction before returning back to his work.

.

"It feels wrong, Sirius," Amara said softly, looking up at him in the dark.

It was late, nearly three in the morning, but they had both been so preoccupied with some of the work Dumbledore had given them that neither of them had been in bed for longer than half an hour.

"I don't like leaving him there either," Sirius said softly, kissing her forehead. "But Dumbledore must have his reasons."

"Which he refuses to explain," Amara muttered irritably.

"Patience, Ami," Sirius replied with a fond smile. With a sigh, he shifted his gaze up to the ceiling as he remarked, "It's weird being in here...especially with you."

"Didn't bring many girls here, huh?" Amara said with an amused smile, looking around at what she could see of Sirius' childhood bedroom.

"None, actually," Sirius explained. "I was supposed to marry someone, remember? I wasn't exactly bragging about who I was dating to my parents."

"Why ever not?" Amara asked in mock confusion.

Sirius smiled, pulling her closer as he kissed her forehead.

"I love you, you know that?" Sirius said softly.

"Only because you remind me every day," Amara whispered, her cheeks flushed in the dark.

"If that's the only way you know, then I'm certainly failing at my job," Sirius said with a soft chuckle.

"I never said verbally remind," Amara corrected. "Everything you do reminds me you love me."

Sirius said nothing, but Amara was almost positive he was smiling.

But all he said was, "Get some sleep, Ami."