The Unknown of the Order (Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

What Brothers Do

He shrugged. "Maybe I've let my loneliness get the better of me. It hasn't exactly been a pleasant time."

"What happened?"

"Well, the short story is I got careless and I got caught. I'd been trailing Bellatrix for so long without anything to show for it that I let myself get sloppy. She noticed me following her while I was pretending to be a wandless."

Sarah gasped. "Bellatrix caught you?"

He nodded. "Luckily, Bellatrix is a cat who likes to play with her food. And she underestimated my power. I was able to escape before she could do much harm."

"I'm sorry."

"You could argue it was worth it. I did learn some vital information. I think Bellatrix definitely has a Horcrux, and I know where it is."

"And we're going to help you get it?"

"Yeah." He looked up. "Sarah? I...I really am sorry. For everything. I spent a lot much time watching the Malfoys and the Lestranges, and I realized how messed up they were. How much Dark Magic had twisted their minds. How much it had twisted mine. So much so that I felt justified possessing my own sister."

He paused, but Sarah could sense he had more to say, so she remained silent. 

"I told myself that I spent my whole life protecting my family, protecting my friends. But Duncan is dead, our family is in shambles, and you've been in danger from the moment you first stepped foot at Hogwarts. That's my responsibility. I should have walked away from R from the first moment I realized what the vaults really were, but I was in love. In love with the power the Dark Arts gave me."

"But you don't want that power anymore?" Sarah asked. 

"Not if it is going to turn me into Bellatrix Lestrange. Seeing her family made me realize that ours isn't so bad--that maybe we still have a chance to fix it. But it's on me to own up to my mistakes. Like realizing you're not a little kid anymore, and that I need to trust you."

"Thanks," she said. "I think you're right. I think we can be a family again. As weird as that sounds."

He laughed. "Good. I guess almost being murdered by Bellatrix made me realize I needed to apologize. For everything that's happened since the first vault."

"You're forgiven."

Jacob patted her knee. "You've always been too easy to forgive."

Sarah smiled, unable to see that as a fault. Still, now that Jacob was talkative, she wanted to change the subject. 

"Where are we going tonight?"

"The Leaky Cauldron. Tom's a good friend of mine. He's been keeping a secret room for me. It was a good idea of Lee's--the thestrals."

"Yeah. He's quite smart."

"Have you two gotten back together yet?"

Sarah somehow found this question more uncomfortable than Jacob's apology. 

"What? No--I don't--we haven't--I mean..."

He chuckled. "I promise I didn't read your mind. It's written all over your face. Why don't you tell him how you feel?"

Sarah took a deep breath, willing herself to speak in coherent sentences. "It's more complicated than that."

"Your life has always been complicated; you're used to it."

She laughed. "So, is that what older brothers do? Give their sisters relationship advice?"

"I don't know, honestly," he said, smiling. "Probably only in books. But I feel like I should make amends. I'm mean, who knows what would have happened if I hadn't interfered?"

Sarah shook her head. She had no idea what would have happened. She was glad there weren't anymore time-turners at the ministry, or she'd be tempted to find out. 

"Just think about it," said Jacob. "Once you hear my plan, you'll realize life is short. Better to get it all out there before it's too late."

"Gee thanks, that's really comforting."

They laughed, and Sarah forced herself to stay in the moment, rather than contemplate the last time they had laughed together. It was enough that they were laughing now. 

Soon after, Barnaby returned. 

"The thestrals are outside."

"Let's go then," said Jacob, standing up at once. 

Sarah made sure to give Hagrid a hug. Her bones cracked in protest as he squeezed her tightly. 

"Be careful, Sarah."

"You too, Hagrid."

"If you run into 'Arry out there, tell him I said, 'Hi.'"

"Will do. Goodbye, Grawp."

Grawp, was picking at something in between his toes and didn't acknowledge her. After giving Fang I final scratch on the ears, Sarah hurried outside to join the others. 

Barnaby said most people couldn't see thestrals, but nobody present had any trouble climbing aboard their skeletal mounts. Jacob helped Merula onto the largest thestral, then climbed on behind her. Elena was uncomfortable riding alone, so she and Barnaby shared another, and Sarah got one to herself. 

She couldn't fight the familiar glee that rose within her as her beast took flight. She clung as tightly as she dared as it flapped it's bat-like wings and dove off, into the night.