A Broken Inheritance

Chapter 1: A Broken Inheritance

Opening the door quietly, he was startled to find Anastasia still in the same spot he had left her hours ago. She sat by Sirius's bedside, her hair still damp and spots of blood staining her forehead and arms. She stared at Sirius with an intensity that seemed to border on desperation, as if willing him to wake up.

James stood in the doorway for a moment, observing her. This behaviour was incredibly odd and out of character, he thought. After all, Sirius had endured neglect and abuse for years, and Anastasia had never shown an ounce of concern. At school, she sided with the Slytherin bullies and sneered at him whenever she got the chance. Where had this sudden change of heart come from?

Finally, James walked over to Sirius and gently changed the wet towel on his forehead. "What happened?" he demanded, his voice cold and unyielding.

Anastasia barely registered his presence, her eyes still fixed on Sirius. After a long pause, she replied, "What do you think happened?"

James clenched his jaw. "And after all these years, what has Sirius done to finally deserve your assistance?" he muttered, suspicion lacing his words.

At that, Anastasia finally looked up at him, her eyes filled with the usual disdain she reserved for him and his friends. Her lips twisted into a humourless laugh. "Even if I explained it to you, you wouldn't understand."

James's eyes narrowed. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

Anastasia's gaze hardened. "It means, Potter, that I don't want to waste my time explaining myself to someone who clearly doesn't have the mental capacity required to understand my situation."

James felt a surge of anger. "Your situation? Don't pretend you're some kind of martyr, Gaunt. You've been cruel to him for years."

Anastasia stood up, her posture rigid with suppressed fury. "Again, I'm not here to explain myself to you."

James took a step closer, his face inches from hers. "Then why are you here? Why now, after all these years of standing by while he suffered?"

Anastasia's eyes flashed with a mix of anger and disdain. "That's none of your concern, Potter. Sirius is safe now. That's what matters."

James stared at her, trying to read her inscrutable expression. He couldn't understand her motives, but for now, she was right. Sirius was safe, that's all that mattered. He turned back to his best friend, his voice softer. "Yeah, well, we're going to make sure he's safe from now on."

Anastasia nodded curtly, her mask firmly back in place. "Good," she said. "That's all I ask."

As James turned to leave, he cast one last look at Anastasia. He still didn't trust her, but he couldn't deny that she had saved Sirius. But whatever her reasons, he would keep a close eye on her. He wouldn't let his guard down, not for a second.

Anastasia resumed her vigil by Sirius's bedside, her mind a whirl of emotions she couldn't afford to show. She had done what she had to do, and she didn't need James Potter's understanding or approval. She would protect Sirius in her own way, just as she always had, whether anyone knew it or not.

James continued to study Anastasia in silence, his eyes narrowing as he saw something unexpected in her expression—fear and tenderness. It was a crack in her usually icy demeanour, and it only served to irritate him further. Who was she to pretend she cared now, after everything?

She sensed his glare and turned her sharp gaze to him. "What now?"

"I just don't believe you're here just because you care about him," James said, his tone accusatory.

"That's fine. I don't particularly care what you think," she replied coolly.

James bristled. "All these years, I've been Sirius's family. Not you lot."

Anastasia stayed silent, her face unreadable, before quietly stating "Don't worry, I'll be out of your life as soon as he wakes up."

This startled James. "Wait... So, you— you're going back?"

Anastasia met his gaze, her eyes hard. "What? Want me to stay, Potter?"

James's disbelief turned to anger. "You're willing to go back to the people who did this to Sirius?"

Anastasia's expression didn't waver. "Where else would I go?."

James clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "How can you stand there and act like this is normal? How can you go back to them after what they did?"

Her eyes flashed with a brief, unreadable emotion before she schooled her features into indifference. "You wouldn't understand. Not everyone has the luxury of running away."

James's anger surged. "Running away? You think he's running away? He surely would've died if he stayed one more minute in that wretched house! This is self protection, no— it's self preservation!"

"Why do you think I brought him here?" Anastasia shot back. "This isn't about me or you and your hero complex, Potter. This is about Sirius being safe and getting better. I'll be fine."

"What makes you think you're safe in this house, uh?" James sighed. "If they could do this to their own son, what makes you think they won't do this to you?"

Anastasia let out a low chuckle. He was right, she wasn't untouchable, she knew that. She knew because it had already happened. She'd known all too well what the consequences for disobedience were in their house. But she was safer than Sirius. "Because I'm smarter than Sirius is."

James shook his head, his anger giving way to a deep sense of frustration. "You're impossible, Gaunt."

"Good," she replied, her voice icy once more. "Then we understand each other."

They fell in tense silence for a moment longer, the air thick with unspoken words and unresolved emotions. Finally, James turned away, his mind churning with thoughts he couldn't fully grasp.

Anastasia watched over Sirius until his breathing evened out, and the tension in his body eased. Satisfied that he was out of immediate danger, she stood and quietly left the room. She found Mrs. Potter in the kitchen, preparing a pot of tea.

"Mrs. Potter," Anastasia began, her voice steady, "I need to speak with you."

Euphemia looked up, her warm eyes filled with concern. "Yes, dear?"

"I'll be leaving now. I'm entrusting Sirius to your care."

Euphemia frowned, setting down the teapot. "Are you sure you want to go back, Anastasia? You're welcome to stay here. You don't have to return to that house."

James, standing in the doorway, bristled at this offer. "Mum, you can't be serious. She's—"

"James," Euphemia said sharply, silencing him. She turned back to Anastasia, her expression softening. "You have a safe haven here, Anastasia. Please, consider staying."

Anastasia shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, Mrs. Potter, truly. But I have to go back. It's... complicated. But please, take care of Sirius."

Euphemia sighed, clearly unhappy but respecting her decision. "Very well. But remember, our door is always open to you."

Anastasia nodded, a rare flicker of gratitude crossing her face. "Thank you."

She turned to leave, but James's voice stopped her. "You sure you won't regret it, Gaunt? Why go back?"

Anastasia looked at him, her expression unreadable. "Where else would I go? Goodbye, Potter." She walked out the door and Disapparated with a soft pop.