Ella Kierston, Minerva McGonagall's goddaughter, begins her 6th year at Hogwarts as the Wizarding World is on the high alert for the notorious Azkaban escapee, Sirius Black. There is much more to Ella than meets the eye, something that quickly catch...
Ella did not sleep the rest of the night, her mind riddled with questions she wasn't equipped to answer. What monumental secret had been kept from her, first by her parents and now by Minnie? And why would it give Sirius Black a reason to come after her?
The only way Ella saw these two questions having an answer in common was if Black had something to do with her mother's death. All Ella had ever been told was that Lisa had died in an ambush of Death Eaters. Black certainly could have been there when her mum died, and it was just as possible that Black was the one that killed her. Was he after Ella to finish what he started, much like Dumbeldore believed that he was after Harry?
Though the more Ella thought about it, the harder time she had reconciling her perception of Black with his reputation of being a deranged, cold-blooded murderer. Certainly, her look into his mind hadn't revealed a man with a cult-like obsession with Lord Voldemort like the Prophet had made Black to be. His concern for Harry appeared most genuine; daresay, Sirius Black was someone Ella thought to be trusted. Was it possible that there was more to Black's story than the public was aware of? Or was she, though a powerful legilimens, that easy to deceive?
Ella turned these questions over and over in her mind until the first light of morning had risen outside of the hospital wing. Intent on getting the answers she so desperately craved, Ella shoved off her blankets and changed back into her jeans and leather jacket before she tip-toed passed Madame Pomfrey's quarters. Ella was in no mood to be fussed over by the hospital matron; her headache was gone and no bones were broken. Ella was far more interested in making her way up to the headmaster's office as soon as possible.
Ella successfully slipped out of the hospital wing undetected and made quick work ascending the staircases to the third floor of the castle, where she was soon greeted by the ancient gargoyle that stood watch outside her uncle's office door. As soon as she said, "sherbert lemon," the stone guardian hopped aside so that the girl might climb the remaining steps up to Dumbledore's Office. Ella raised her hand to knock, but she was taken by slight surprise when the door opened before her knuckles could make contact with the door.
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In front of her stood Albus Dumbledore in rich garnet robes and his signature buckled boots. Instead of Dumbeldore's blue eyes holding their usual brightness and enthusiasm, they were somber, like empty skies on starless nights. His grave expression only added to Ella's unease. The only time she could recall seeing Uncle Albus this serious was when Ginny Weasley had been taken captive in the Chamber of Secrets a few months previously. It sent her stomach into knots.
Before she could ask about what was going on, Dumbledore stood aside to let Ella—whom he had come to love dearly as she grew up at Hogwarts— into his office. "I'm quite relieved to see you are all right, Ella. It gave us quite a fright when we learned you had been attacked last night."
Ahead of any reply, she found herself tugged into a tight embrace that would rival that of Molly Weasley. Ella found herself overwhelmed by the smell of worn-out flannel and raspberry tea that she had always associated with her godmother as Minnie cried out, "Thank Merlin you're all right!"
