The Godmother || Sirius Black

━ 20. Calm before the storm

When Harry along with the others apparated from the 12 Grimmauld Place to the Burrow, he hadn't had the slightest idea where they would be going as to where the Quidditch World Cup was taking place. They left the burrow as soon as they appeared and Arthur Weasley urged the kids to walk faster as they passed the nearest forest along the way.

"Ron," He turned to his redhead friend as they walked through the woods. "Where are we actually going?"

"Don't know," Ron muttered shortly, yawning loudly. He was still quite sleepy.

Harry looked back as he wondered where Diana and Sirius were. He worried if they got into a fight or anything as he still felt the tension between them; both of them told him not to worry but Harry just couldn't help it. Remus pulled out of the group last minute, saying he wasn't feeling well.

"Dad, where are we going?" Ron hollered as Harry and him were walking at the end of the group while Arthur was up on the front.

"Haven't the foggiest. Keep up!"

As if cue, right at that moment, Harry heard loud flapping of wings and felt a tight grip of sharp claws on his right shoulder. He looked to his right and turned delighted when he saw a familiar large goshawk with beady red eyes like pomegranate seeds sitting on his shoulder. It's been a while since Harry saw Diana in her Animagus form and the last time he saw her, professor Trelawney warned him of the large bird being an omen of death. Now Harry can almost laugh at that memory.

Now that he was seeing the Goshawk upfront so closely, he can say that it was a very regal looking bird. He let his finger gently trace the bird's black, shiny, smooth feathers on the head as the bird leaned to his touch. 

"Upfront she's quite the giant, isn't she?" Ron joked, looking at the bird.

Diana, who apparently didn't take this joke lightly, went for Ron and flapped her wings violently over his head, ruining his hair and making him grumble. 

"Shush! Shush!" Harry calmed the bird down with a light laugh, making it sit on his shoulder again. "I think she's a beautiful bird."

Upon hearing her godson's compliment, she leaned towards him and caressed his cheek with her head, making the bespectacled boy smile.

"Arthur!" an unfamiliar voice yelled enthusiastically, grabbing Harry's attention. "It's about time, son!"

A tall man around Arthur's age with a scrubby brown beard greeted him with a friendly embrace.

"Oh bloody hell! Here comes Amos..."

Harry's eyes widened as he heard a voice the same as Diana's in his head and whipped his head towards the bird on his shoulder. He whispered, "how?..."

"I'm a legilimens, Harry." there was a mischievous glint in the bird's eyes.

Harry's smile widened even though he didn't have a clear idea what a legilimens was. He made a mental note to ask Hermione about it later.

"Sorry, Amos. Some of us had a bit of a sleepy start." Arthur apologized with a smile as he threw a look at the kids. Ron yawned loudly again.

"This is Amos Diggory, everyone. Works with me at the ministry." Arthur introduced his smiling colleague to the kids, as they all introduced themselves to him.

Just about then, a boy jumped down from the tree beside Amos. He was around Harry's age, maybe a year or two older. He was tall and extremely handsome with chiseled features, dark hair and bright gray eyes.

"And this strapping young lad must be Cedric, am I right?" Arthur asked with a warm smile.

"Yes, sir." the boy said politely and shook his hand. Amos stood beside his son like a proud father, grinning widely and patting the taller boy's back.