Won't Let You Choose

12

Alas back at King's Cross yet again. After a pleasant time with Hermione's company in their compartment on the train together, they parted with a hug after spotting Hermione's parents patiently waiting.

Arriving at the spot that Skylar usually reunited or waited for her parents, the girl found it quite unusual to not see her family waiting for her. "Atlas?" Instead Skylar found one of their house elves waiting patiently for her.

Among the house elves the Mikaelson family housed, Atlas was an elf with no bulging eyes but, rather medium(?) golden eyes. The elf still had all its other traits of course, long bat like ears and a pointed nose to match.

"Atlas is here to take the young Master to 12  Grimmauld Place on Master Dobrev Mikaelson's request. Atlas is also very happy to see the young Master again and has been missed dearly by her family and the other elves."

"So that's why dad sent you huh..." Skylar hummed. Atlas was one of the few elves that grew to be more accustomed to the muggle world with his rather curious and adventurous nature. Being mainly ordered by Dobrev to acquire items and that often catched his eye.

The girl smiled warmly at the elf, "I missed you too. But Atlas, why are you taking me to... Grimmauld Place? Where even is that?" She asked, her curiosity piqued at the new name.

"A neighborhood in London, young master. Your father didn't tell anything else to Atlas other than it was important for you to be there instead of the Manor."

Atlas sat on top of the pile of Skylar's luggage. "Wait, what if you apparate us there and there's a smuggle on the street? It's a neighborhood after all." Skylar questioned worriedly, afraid that they could be seen by one or a group of non-magic folk and break the most important law of the Wizarding World.

"There is no need to worry yourself, young Master. Atlas will take necessary precaution if needed." Replied the elf confidently.

Though his words did little to calm the anxiety, Skylar swallowed thickly before placing a hand on the elf's small shoulder. Shutting her eyes closed tightly, Skylar felt herself be sucked in by an invisible force.

The space around them twisting and warping; Skylar's body felt like it was being squeezed together like one would do with squeezing out the water from clothes.

As quickly as that feeling came, when Atlas successfully apparate them both to an empty street Skylar felt a nauseating feeling wash over her and fell to the pavement on her knees. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that..." Heaving in a deep breath and opening her eyes finally.

Only to see Atlas nowhere in sight except for a woman walking down the street. Quickly stepping on her feet again, Skylar set her eyes at a grand building in front of her. It had many windows and doors all equally spaced apart, it was rather old but grand looking. Skylar thought it to be an old Victorian townhouse of sorts.

Once the smuggle woman was out of sight, what Skylar didn't expect was for the whole building to move and shake as if it were expanding. Sure enough another section of the townhouse was added right before her very eyes. "Of course." Skylar breathed impressed.

"Let Atlas help with your luggage, young master!" Skylar felt her heart jump out of her chest as the elf suddenly appeared at her side with a 'pop!'. "Atlas! Thank you, but please try not to do that again." Skylar sighed whilst clutching her jacket tightly.

Entering the house, the wooden floorboards creaked eerily in Skylar's ear as she stood in the long hall. Taking in the sight of old but obviously expensive furnishings, but what caught her eyes the most were the portraits hung on the wall.

Specifically the portrait of a family with two sons.

It was unfortunate, Skylar thought, she could hardly make out the face of the taller son for it had been burned and ripped off revealing the wooden canvas underneath.

One thing was evident though, it was that all of the other three members of the family had the same jet black hair that made their grey eyes shine almost perfectly, she thought that the other son would have it too. Also noticing the fact that the taller boy had lesser clothing than the rest of his family who were all clothed formaly.

"It was considerably hot that day. I still don't understand why they insisted on wearing so many layers." A voice spoke and Skylar jumped, whipping her head at the direction of the sound.

Black hair that reached just on his shoulders with grey eyes that matched perfectly. Skylar immediately recognized who that man was standing on the stairs with a small smirk on his face.

The same man as the one from the picture of the Order of the Phoenix as well as the wanted posters after the first ever break out in Azkaban in Skylar's third year. This man before her made Wizarding history.

"You must be Dobrev and Nerissa's girl right? Yes, they did say that you shall be arriving from Hogwarts." The man continued, almost unphased by the shock on Skylar's face. "... You're Sirius Black... This is the Noble House of Black..."

The said man chuckled under his breath lightly. "And you're Skylar Mikaelson. Born into the family of ravens of the Wizarding World." Sirius said cooly. "Though it is quite curious to see the very first Mikaelson to be sorted in Slytherin in centuries." He added with an interesting look on his face.

"Not quite. You were the first Black to be sorted in a different house, especially Gryffindor." Skylar countered while biting the inside of her cheek.

Sirius laughed, "That was because I argued with the bloody Sorting Hat not to put me in Slytherin. You know, add a little bit of spice in my family. And frankly, I was surrounded by snakes already."

"Why didn't you want to be in Slytherin?" Skylar asked curiously. "Why aren't you in Ravenclaw?" Sirius redirected and Skylar made a face at the man.

"I thought I was. Though I guess the sorting hat sensed something else in me. "A desire to achieve something that that it is all I sense coming from you." Or something along those lines it said."

Skylar shook her head wanting to get back to the her main concern at hand;the question that she's been aching to ask since she got off the train. "What am I doing here exactly? Where are my parents?"

Sirius merely shrugged and shook his head, "Can't exactly say for sure. But don't you worry, Dobrev and Nerissa should be here any moment." He smiled. "Till then, I've asked for your elf, Atlas, to put your stuff just in the room to your right."

An hour into Skylar sorting her things and dusting up the room, she heard a knock on the door. "Bao, excuse me... Just one moment!" She said at the door while moving her furry cat away from blocking the door.

Once Skylar opened her door, her face brightened instantly. "You're here! Mum! Dad!" Throwing herself  at her mother which she was expertly caught in welcome arms. "We've missed you darling." Her father placed a loving kiss on her crown.

"Ministry business, Dobrev?" Sirius cleared his throat. "Yes Sirius. Ministry business." Dobrev nodded looking at the man intentlyas he sighed into Skylar's hair.

"Why didn't you want me to return Home?" Skylar asked pulling away slightly from Nerissa. "No offense Mr. Sirius, but your house is a tad bit... Unsettling."

Sirius cracked the girl a crooked smile, "None taken, and frankly I agree with you too." He said with a chuckle.

"Skylar, our home isn't exactly safe at the moment. With the Dark forces on the rise, it won't be long until someone from that side pays us a visit." Skylar's eyes darkened at her father's words.

"Dumbledore has gathered the Order together again along with recruiting new wizards. We're all thankful that Sirius offered his home as base for the Order and for you and the others to stay during the holidays."

"Others as in Harry and the Weasley's right?" Skylar jumped at the thought of spending the holidays with her friends. "Of course Harry'll be here. I'm not letting my godson stay in that ghastly house of muggles." Sirius rolled his eyes knowingly.

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A/N: Busy asf lately