The Disgraced of the House of Black - A Multi-Character Fanfiction - Part Two

258. Delicate

At Sadie's instruction, Arthur and Bill lifted Ellis' limp form into the air, levitating him as they returned to the house. Molly was standing in the kitchen with Ginny, laughing merrily before the door opened. She looked up, smiling still until her eyes caught sight of a body. Molly screamed, dropping the brush and pot she'd been working with as she covered her mouth.

"Aunt, it's all right," Sadie said rushing to her before turning back to her uncle and cousin. "Put him in Fred and George's room for now."

When they had gone up the stairs, Ginny, her face white, asked, "Was that Ellis?"

"Yes," Sadie said, her voice beginning to shake.

When Bill and Arthur had returned, Bill snapped, "Sadie, what is going on? What was that?"

Sadie hesitated, looking between each face, each as confused and concerned as the last.

Finally, she said, "Before he died...Dumbledore came to see me. He said that...that he had some information I needed to know." The other Weasleys seemed to be holding their breath as they waited. "Ellis was...well..."

When she broke off, Arthur asked in as gentle of a tone as his agitation would allow, "He was what, Sadie?"

And that was when she told them, when she told them the truth Dumbledore had revealed to her just a few days before.

Sadie crossed her arms over her chest anxiously, waiting to hear what Dumbledore had to say, brushing her fiery, red hair out of her face, her eyes bright in the moonlight.

"There's something you need to know," Dumbledore said quietly. At Sadie's confused expression, he began hesitatingly, "When Ellis joined Voldemort...he wasn't exactly doing it for the reason we all thought."

"What are you saying?" Sadie asked, a faint quiver coming into her voice as she nervously tucked a stray strand of hair out of her face.

"Ellis joined Voldemort, initially, because he wanted to figure out how to kill him," Dumbledore explained. "Then, a year ago, after the incident at the Department of Mysteries, he came to me and asked for a way out." At Sadie's confused expression, Dumbledore added, "I refused to help him. Instead, he worked as my spy."

"He's not- You mean?" Sadie stuttered, her mind reeling.

"No," Dumbledore said.

Sadie sunk into a crouch, trying to process this information with everything else she knew.

"There may come a time..." Dumbledore said slowly, choosing his words very carefully, "when you must use this information for his advantage, but until then, you must promise me."

Sadie looked up at him in confusion.

"What?" she asked, sounding hesitant.

"Promise you will not tell a single soul what you have learned," he said quietly.

Sadie hesitated, meeting his harsh gaze unflinchingly before finally, she allowed herself to give the tiniest of nods, a solemn promise kept until the moment an explanation was needed.

Dead silence followed these words. Bill looked as stunned as if the wind had been knocked out of him.

"He was trying...but why?" he whispered in confusion.

Sadie sighed a moment before she admitted, "Ellis didn't just grow up during the war...his brothers and sister-in-law were the war. He grew up hearing the screams of people tortured in their basement. They suffered attacks at the house. His sister..." Sadie hesitated a moment, remembering when Ellis had first told her about his dear older sister who had cared for him when no one else did. "His sister was murdered when he was eight. She had been the only one who looked after him. Even when the war ended, he was tossed from home to home because no one wanted the scared little boy with a Death Eater's last name." Sadie hesitated a moment, attempting to organize her thoughts even as her emotions raged. "When he came back, Ellis was angry and scared so he...he did what he thought was right."

No one spoke for several long minutes. 

Finally, Sadie said, "I need to go talk to him." 

Before she could leave, however, Bill caught her arm, stopping her in place as he said harshly, "Sadie, even if all of that is true-" 

"Bill," Sadie interrupted, her voice firm. "I know it's going to take time for you to understand this, but I trust him." 

"Sadie," Arthur protested, but the next moment, a crash reached their ears followed by a muffled cry. 

Without a moment's hesitation, Sadie broke into a run, sprinting up the stairs toward Fred and George's room, closely followed by Bill and Molly. The pounding stopped as wracking sobs reached her ears followed by an animalistic scream. 

"Ellis," Sadie called softly, crouching by the door. 

"Sadie," Bill said warningly, but Molly quickly shushed him. 

There was no response, only the continued sound of sobbing. Softly, Sadie opened the door, leaving it open as she crouched beside him. Ellis was curled up with his knees to his chest, rocking back and forth, his head buried in his hands. 

"Ellis, you're okay," Sadie said quietly, but he seemed not to hear her. "Ellis," she tried again, reaching out to try and move his hands out of his face. 

Instantly, however, he flinched, moving away from her. 

"Now, now," Molly said, coming into the room and sitting beside him, wrapping her arms around him in a motherly fashion as she brushed through his tangled hair. "You're all right, dear. The worst is over now." 

Incredibly, Ellis seemed to calm slightly in her arms, his tears slowing before finally, he calmed enough to stop his rocking. He still shook slightly, his cheeks still wet with tears, but for the first time, he seemed truly himself. 

"I'm so sorry," Ellis whispered, his voice hoarse. "Mrs Weasley, I-" 

"Shush, none of that now," Molly said. "Come on downstairs. I'll make you a cup of tea and then to bed with you. No protests." 

Ellis could not restrain a small smile as a few more tears trailed out. 

Wiping them away, he sniffled as he said, "Yeah, okay." 

As he caught sight of Sadie, however, his expression shifted as more tears began to fall. 

"Sadie, I- I'm so sorry about Levi and Shauna and-" he began as another sob left his lips. 

"Shush," Sadie said quickly, wrapping her arms around him. "Aunt Molly is right. You need to rest. We can talk in the morning." 

Then, with much help and guidance, they got him to his feet and led him down the stairs.