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44 || secrets revealed

ADELAIDE WAS SAT at Dumbledore's window with a cigarette when the stone door began to open, she stubbed it out and threw it from the window before hopping down and joining the group.

"Adelaide, sorry to keep you waiting," Dumbledore said, "Take a seat please." Marlene, Regulus, Remus, Mary and Sirius were all following the old man.

"What's going on?" Adelaide asked, "Is this the talk we were going to have mum?"

Marlene pointed at the seat, "Please, just have a seat sweetheart."

It was silence for a while until Adelaide started tapping on the desk, "Is someone going to speak or are we playing who can stay quiet the longest?"

"I'll start," Dumbledore said, receiving nods from the adults around him, "Adelaide, we haven't been truthful with you regarding your heritage."

Adelaide looked at him with a frown, "What the hell do you mean, my heritage? Is this what Lucius Malfoy was on about?"

"Yes," He nodded, "In the simplest way said, Marlene is not your mother." The room fell silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and then suddenly, Adelaide snorted, "Is this some kind of sick joke? My mum's not my mum? That's mental."

"It's true," Marlene said, "But it doesn't make you my daughter any less."

"Your real mother's name was Alexis Lore," Dumbledore explained, "She was the daughter of two followers of Voldemort in the first wizarding world. Sirius?"

Sirius sighed, "Alexis and I dated for a year, when we broke up we found out that she was pregnant. As unprepared as we were, we decided that our child would be a blessing onto the world." Adelaide's face stayed stone cold as her father told the story, "Just before she could give birth, Alexis was killed by death eaters, the doctors were able to save you but Dumbledore decided it was dangerous to reveal who you really were."

Marlene took over again, "My whole family had just died so I agreed to be your godmother and also your legal mother. Sirius and I signed a fake wedding document and from there you were Adelaide Black. Our daughter."

They stared expectantly at the girl as the cogs were spinning in her head, "Is that why- why she-" Regulus nodded, "We believe so. And now that Voldemort knows you're alive we're afraid of what he'll do."

"This is so fucking messed up," Adelaide said into her hands. "Why didn't you tell me earlier!"

At the sudden burst of anger Sirius stepped forward, "It was to protect you. From the ministry, from death eaters, from your real family."

"They're still out there?" Adelaide asked quietly, "Who are they? Where are they?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that," Dumbledore said, "As I said before, they are loyal followers of Voldemort and now that he's back, they're dangerous again."

"So you hid this all from me and you won't let me meet my only grandparents? Anything else you're hiding from me?"

Regulus went to comfort her but Adelaide pulled away, "Don't! Don't touch me. Just leave me alone." He went to follow her out of the office but Sirius held his arm, "Leave her Regulus. If she's like me or Alexis she'll need some time to calm down."

"What do you know Sirius?" Regulus snapped, "You haven't know her her whole life and when you do come back you share all of what, three conversations together. I wish you showed your daughter the same amount of attention you showed your godson."

"Harry needs me, with James and Lily gone I'm the only family he has left," Sirius said, "Adelaide needs you too! Now more than ever, because I don't know about you, but if I found out that my mum wasn't my mum and that my whole family had been lying to me for fifteen years I'd need someone to talk to."

. . .

THEO HADN'T EXPECTED Adelaide to come back into the common room so quickly. Him and Lucas were sat on the sofa's when she walked in, her body language telling them that was pissed.

"Woah!" Theo said jumping up, "What the hells going on?"

Adelaide shrugged, "My entire family has been lying to me my whole life," Her shoulders slouched and she collapsed on the sofa, "thus, I need a drink and a smoke."

"Is that how we solve our problems?" Theo asked with a smile, "It's been a tough day for us all, Adds, talking is also a good way to cope." Adelaide sent him a look and Theo shut up.

"Don't answer that," Adelaide said as a knock sounded from the door, "It's Regulus."

"How do you-" Lucas' question was cut off when Adrian Pucey walked in, slamming the door behind him, "Adelaide, why is your Uncle at the door?"

"He's probably trying to apologise," Adelaide said, blowing the smoke from her cigarette, "I'll let him apologise in a couple weeks, until then he gets the silent treatment."

The early hours of the morning approached and Adelaide was sat on the astronomy tower smoking as she took in the view. Everything had changed in less than a day and the one good thing was totally outweighed by literally everything else.

"Can't sleep either?" Adelaide saw, from the corner of her eye, Harry sit down next to her. "Yeah, no. It's been a really shitty ass day, huh?"

Harry let out a low chuckle, "I guess you could say that," His hand drifted to Adelaide and he let his sit on top, "I know you aren't a talker but I was there too, you can talk to me."

"It's a great offer Mr Potter," Adelaide said, "But talking about things doesn't do anything, I prefer to solve my problems head on."

"I like that," Harry stated, "Can I- You know?"

Adelaide frowned, "No way! Is the golden boy, Harry Potter, the boy who lived, asking for a cigarette?" He shrugged, "Desperate times." Adelaide handed him hers, Harry had seen Adelaide smoke enough to know what to do, but the second the smoke entered his mouth he started coughing, "You dipshit, what the hell are you doing? You didn't inhale properly, god you're going to waste it."

"That thing is deadly," He said yet took another drag, "It's also pretty calming, I see why you like them."

The blonde smiled, "I'll see you later Harry, get some sleep." As she turned to leave a grip on her wrist stopped her, Harry was stood with a nervous expression but pulled her into a hug. It took a second but Adelaide eventually wrapped her arms around him and buried her head into his shoulder, "No matter what, we stick together."

"We stick together."

AUTHORS NOTE —
i feel like i'm not putting enough
adelaide and harry in but they're
going to get loads next year and
half blood prince.
and there's the answer to the
mystery at the quidditch cup, adelaide
is not a mckinnon. dun dun dun.

𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀, harry potterWhere stories live. Discover now