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

163. Post-Fear Cheer

Amara was pacing anxiously in the kitchen, waiting for Harry and the Weasleys to appear as Sirius' ancestor, who had a portrait in the house and Dumbledore's office, had said they would. Sirius was upstairs, looking for something. At long last, Harry, Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny appeared, all looking pale and worried.

"There you are," she said, rushing to them anxiously and helping Ginny to her feet. "What's Dumbledore done for your father? Did he say anything before you left?"

"Just that he was found," Fred said, looking pale as death itself. Suddenly frowning, he asked, "How did you-"

"I saw it," she said softly, shifting her gaze to Harry. "You did too?"

He nodded.

Frowning, he asked, "How did you see it?"

"I don't know," Amara admitted shakily. "Normally, to see visions of something in the present I have to be touching something...a personal item of theirs, but there was nothing that could have allowed me to see anything. I think it must have somehow been you, Harry."

Harry shook his head, unsure what to say. Sirius came down the stairs next and quickly caught sight of them all.

"Is Mum here?" Fred asked instantly.

"She probably doesn't even know it's happened yet," Sirius admitted grimly. "The important thing was to get you away before Umbridge could interfere. I expect Dumbledore's letting Molly know now."

"We've got to go to St Mungo's," Ginny said urgently. "Sirius, can you lend us cloaks or anything?"

"No one is going anywhere, not yet," Amara said gently.

"Of course, we can go to St Mungo's if we want!" Fred retorted. "He's our dad!"

"Listen to me, all of you," Amara said soothingly, resting a hand on Ginny and Fred's shoulders. "I know how hard this must be for you, but things already look bad enough for your father as is. I know it doesn't seem important right now, but we can't let the Ministry think there are questions that need to be asked right now. Your mum will know soon, if she doesn't already, and then she'll be with him. You'll all be able to go see him soon, I promise."

Ginny sighed but took a few steps until she reached a chair and sat down. One by one, the rest did the same. Sirius got them all butterbeers while Amara shook her head. She was feeling nauseous again. How long they sat waiting, Amara could never afterwards be sure, but a little after five in the morning, the door burst open, revealing Mrs Weasley.

"He's going to be all right," she exclaimed, sounding exhausted. "He's sleeping. We can all go and see him later. Bill's sitting with him now, he's going to take the morning off work."

Fred, who had risen slightly from his chair, fell back with his hands over his face as he let out a long sigh of relief. George and Ginny instantly rushed to their mother to embrace her as Ron gave a very shaky laugh and downed his butterbeer in one go.

"Breakfast!" Sirius cried joyfully. "I'll make breakfast. Stay sitting, Ami, I've got it. Rest."

She nodded, nearly delirious with exhaustion. Fatigue had been the most major symptom of her pregnancy thus far.

As Mrs Weasley embraced Harry and thanked him, Sirius went back to Amara and asked, "Do you want anything? Can you stomach anything this morning?"

"No, I'm fine," she replied. "But thank you."

Gently kissing her cheek, he went back to the pantry to get out everything he needed.

When he returned, Molly said, "Thank you, Sirius, Amara, for watching over the children for the night."

"It's no trouble, Molly," Amara said with a tired smile. "Please, feel free to stay as long as you need. This is far closer to St Mungo's anyway."

"Oh, thank you!" Molly exclaimed with a very pleased smile on her face. "But, we wouldn't want to intrude on your Christmas."

"The more the merrier," Sirius said with such warmth Mrs Weasley smiled all the wider and instantly put on an apron to help with the cooking. "But I may need your help with the cooking. Amara's not up to much these days."

"Oh, why ever not?" Molly asked in concern. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Amara said with a tired smile. "But...well...Sirius, this isn't how I wanted to tell them."

"No better way," he said with a laugh, approaching her to affectionately kiss her forehead. Looking up at everyone, he explained, "Amara's pregnant."

Mrs Weasley gasped as Harry looked at them in confusion.

"But I thought-" Mrs Weasley began.

"Turns out miracles are possible," Amara remarked with a warm smile.

.

Althea and Hermione arrived the next day. Althea was looking perfectly cheerful as she greeted Sirius and Amara and was perfectly ecstatic at the news that her godparents were having a child.

"What will you name it? Do you know if it's a boy or girl yet?" she asked at dinner that night.

"No idea," Amara said with a small laugh. "Your mum should be coming in a few weeks so we can find out, but we can't exactly go and see a Healer about it."

"No, I suppose not," Althea said with a small laugh.

They all spent much of the day decorating the house for Christmas so that by the time the day itself came, the house was utterly unrecognizable. Althea woke to find a large pile of presents at the foot of her bed. Ginny was already awake and tearing into her presents.

Her mother had given her several books all about past Healers and their discoveries while Sirius and Amara had given her a large volume containing the most common curses and jinxes used present day. Her father gave her a ring, gold like the one Neville had given her years before, with a small wolf head on it. She smiled at the sight of it and instantly slipped it on her finger. Mrs Weasley had given her a Weasley sweater. The final present was very small, but Althea smiled as she opened it. It was, of course, from Neville. He had given her a handwoven ring made from the leaf of some fiery-red plant, but it had been petrified in place somehow, making it feel rather as though it was made of glass.

Inside the wrappings, she found a note.

Dear Althea,
I made this ring from the first plant I successfully bred. It still grows really strong, even after all this time. I know it's taken me a long time to get here, but you told me the best gift I could give you was to know my own worth, so here's that gift. Thank you so much for everything, Althea. No one has ever believed in me as you have and I'm not entirely sure anyone ever could. Have a brilliant Christmas with your dad. I'll see you in January.
Love,
Neville