The Dreamer's Curse

The Grand Scheme

Chapter 24

Forget is a complicated work. According to any dictionary you consult, forgetting is not an active effort. You can’t just will yourself to forget something—outside a traumatic event, at least. Forgetting just sort of happens. 

And I wish it would happen.

But when you think of the thing you’re supposed to be forgetting every minute you spend doing absolutely nothing, it isn’t exactly easy to forget.

And so, I remember. And I take the pain like a witch ought to. Because although things do not change, we can. We do.

But no, I’ve not been changing as I ought. I’ve still been sneaking fugitive glances at Draco across the classroom. I’ve still got that throbbing pain within me when he allows Pansy Parkinson to sit next to him and coo. And when he waves her away, there’s a moment of heightened gladness that is soon replaced with sorry guilt. Half the time, I feel despondent. 

The only thing that could break me out of my stupor had arrived. The day after Slughorn’s party, Alice sent me a letter.

…

Dearest Jane,

I implore you to come to Norfolk immediately.

Something incredible is about to happen.

Yours,

Alice

P.S. Sirius and I agreed on this before he died—you’re Danny’s godmother.  

…

That same evening, I held the tiny creature in my arms. A warmth flooded over me as the little baby boy gurgled. Danny’s straight black hair formed a thick bed over his scalp, making his round head look a little less alien. 

“He’s got your eyes,” I said to a very tired looking Alice buried in her white sheets.

“Kingsleigh eyes,” she smiled proudly. 

“Sirius would have loved him.” I cast Alice a tentative glance. 

“Sirius wanted to name him James, but decided that Harry might have wanted the name for his son.”

“Does Harry know?”

“Yes, but Dumbledore wouldn’t allow him to visit. It’s a shame…”

“So Daniel Black?”

Alice shook her head. “Sirius named Harry as the Black heir, and he wanted nothing to do with his family anyway, what with all the trouble that name brought about... He wanted Daniel to be named a Kingsleigh.”

“Sirius was always a strange one,” I smiled.

“Yes, he was wasn’t he? A bit touched in the head too,” she smiled nostalgically. “But that doesn’t matter. All the best people are.”

Tonks came in from work later that evening and we had stewed apples and roast chicken for dinner. For the first time in months, Tonks was more like herself. She was laughing and teasing and nearly happy. She was a natural around children, making little Danny giggle by changing her nose from a pig’s snout to a duck’s beak. 

When January had arrived, and it was time for Tonks to take me back to Hogwarts, I reluctantly bid Alice goodbye. 

“Be back before you know it,” I hugged her after planting a kiss on Danny’s forehead.