warrior | sirius black

thirty seven

After a few moments, Dumbledore led the couple to the half-destructed upstairs. Rosie braced herself for what she knew she would see next. She first caught a glance at the fiery red hair as they entered the nursery. Tears stung her eyes as she turned away into Sirius' chest, nausea sweeping through her body. Sirius rubbed her head comfortingly as salty tears streamed down his sad face.

Rosie breathed in and looked at her best friend's limp body. Bile rose in her throat as she ran out of the suffocating room into the hallway. Placing a hand onto the wall to balance herself, she swallowed back her vomit. 

The sound of footsteps walking towards her caused her to look up quickly. She was met with the kind eyes of McGonagall, who opened her arms in silent support.

"Rosie...Dumbledore and I must discuss something with you and Sirius," McGonagall spoke gently as she broke the hug and turned towards the nursery to call for Dumbledore. Dumbledore and Sirius walked out together. Sirius immediately went to Rosie's side and grabbed her hand.

"Sirius, I'm afraid that ministry authorities will be here very soon...there is not much we can do since Mr. Pettigrew is nowhere to be found," Dumbledore started sorrowfully.

"B-but that's impossible-" the couple protested, to whom Dumbledore stopped silently with a raised hand.

"There's not much time. We must discuss what we need to do next," he paused briefly, "Rosie, no one knows that Leila is your child, correct?"

Rosie and Sirius nodded. They knew that keeping the birth of Leila a secret until the war was over was the best way to protect her -- only a few trusted individuals knew, and they intended on keeping it that way.

"Leila must be put under the care of Minerva." 

Rosie and Sirius sputtered at this demand, not believing that their own child was being taken away from them. Dumbledore stopped them again and continued, "You will still be able to see her, however, she is safest under Minerva's name. Harry will be taken to his Lily's sisters' family, the Dursleys."

"May I say something, Albus?" Rosie asked, putting her anger aside. Dumbledore nodded respectfully.

"I can understand why Leila should be taken care of by Minerva, but Lily and James had agreed that if anything happened to them, we would take care of Harry," Rosie stated simply.

"Rosie, this is for the ultimate safety of you and Leila. Everything will be explained later, you must have faith in me and Albus," Minerva pleaded. 

Rosie choked out a sob, she couldn't not trust the two individuals in front of her. She cried into Sirius' shoulders and clutched his jacket. In the span of one evening, they had lost almost everything dear to them. 

Sirius' eyes filled with rage as he ran out of the house -- he would find Peter and he would make him pay. Rosie screamed and ran after him, she had to calm him down before he did something rash.

Sirius was quick to run across the street past the crowd of muggles. His eyes darted throughout the town, he knew he was still here. A fidgeting, stout body caught his attention - Peter. He ran after the betrayer.

"Peter! How could you! He trusted you!" Sirius screamed, aiming hexes towards the running man. 

Rosie ran after the two, throwing similar spells towards the traitor. Peter suddenly stopped in the middle of the street and turned around towards the two with a sinister grin. He made direct eye contact as he took a knife out and cut his finger off right in front of them. They grimaced and stared in shock and horror. The rat looked down and at them once again and opened his mouth.

"Sirius Black did it! He did it!" 

The couple's eyes' widened. Rosie was quick to aim a petrifying curse, but Peter beat her to it as he created a giant explosion, knocking Rosie, Sirius, and a few muggles back off their feet.

Rosie got up quickly just as she saw authorities running toward the scene. From the corner of her eye, she saw a rat scamper away. Her eyes widened as she ran towards the authorities, pointing wildly towards the limping rat.

"He's there! He's over there! He did it! He's an animagus!" 

The ministry officials ignored her and went straight towards Sirius. Onlooking muggles looked at the scene and pointed towards Sirius as the officials questioned them. Rosie could not believe what she was seeing. She was about to run after Peter until an official grabbed her arm.

"Let go of me! Peter Pettigrew did it and you're letting him get away!" Rosie screamed, aware of how insane she looked but she didn't care. She ripped herself from the man's grasp and ran towards Sirius, who was being taken by three other officials.

"Let him go! He didn't do it! I saw it with my own eyes! Sirius is innocent!" Rosie pleaded desperately. She couldn't lose Sirius too.

"That's not what those muggles over there said," one man asserted. Rosie stared in disbelief. If she could hex all those muggles, she would.

"They don't know what they saw! I was right there!" she countered.

"Save it for the judge," one man with an American accent scoffed as they led Sirius away. Rosie was about to run after them until a hand stopped her. She looked up at the person and cried loudly. McGonagall embraced her and watched the scene with sorrow.

"I love you, Rosie! Tell Leila I love her!" Sirius' voice echoed through the street before disappearing as he was taken away. Rosie walked towards Hagrid and her children. Even if she couldn't take care of Harry, he would always be a child to her. She took Leila into her arms and kissed her head while bouncing her gently.

"You can take Sirius' bike to take Harry, Hagrid," Rosie whispered sorrowfully. Hagrid nodded and placed a comforting hand on her back. She gave Harry one last kiss on his head before letting him go. Minerva watched the scene in front of her, grief in her heart.

"Come, we need to talk."

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I hope you are all safe and healthy <3