Muggle | 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑊𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

Chapter 105

"How long have you known, Sirius?" I repeated myself, more sternly this time.

     "How — how did you find out?" he asked, looking at me through the flames in disbelief.

     "I saw his picture in Slughorn's office, on his shelf," I answered. "I recognized my dad. He looked so much younger, but it was unmistakable. I was just so surprised to see him there; so I asked Slughorn for his name. I expected him to say it was Roger Hooper... but he told me it was Regulus Black. I was shocked at first... but the more I thought about it, the more sense it made."

     "Lexi—"

     "—It makes sense, Sirius! I've been thinking all about it," I said half amazed, half still thunderstruck. "Regulus Black made everyone believe that he was dead! He flew after the war ended, afraid that the remaining Death Eaters would come after him and so changed his name to Roger Hooper."

     I said quickly, not giving Sirius a chance to even open his mouth as I went on,

"He got away without anyone figuring out that he was still alive. He got with my mother after a few years, and I was born later on. He probably gave me the Concealment Potion in order to keep me away from the Wizarding World, afraid that I would get caught up in the same mess he had been through; to keep me safe. That's why he didn't want me to read the Harry Potter books. That's why he insisted that we should move to America by the time the second Wizarding War had begun."

I looked at him for a few seconds in silence, but as he seemed wordless, I carried on more calmly.

"But he sent me back to save you. To save his only brother. He knew that I was completely familiar with this world and believed in me... so he made the portal in platform 9 3/4 and sent me back in time. But I don't understand why he would do that after taking away my magic."

"Maybe he didn't know he was going to send you to the past back then, and thought about it later on," Sirius suggested, shrugging unsurely.

I sighed, looking down at him and saying, "That explains how everyone thought I looked like you, how I had your eyes. Because yours and my dad's were the same. But I guess I was always more like you than him, which is why I was sorted into Gryffindor, just like you."

"You were suspicious from the beginning, though," said Sirius after a little pause, avoiding my gaze.

"Well, of course," I nodded. "Kreacher had told me that I was his master's daughter. But for some while, I thought he meant you."

"Yeah, Remus told me," said Sirius grimly. "Ugh, Kreacher... stupid elf."

"He was mumbling to himself," I said. "He didn't know I could hear him. But he kept telling me that his master had ordered him not to tell anyone about it. Did he mean you?"

"No, I didn't tell him anything." Sirius shook his head. "It must've been Regulus, however on earth that's possible. But after all this... I really don't know what to believe anymore."

     "How long have you known that Regulus was my father?" I asked again.

     "I was never sure," said Sirius earnestly. "When I first saw you, I was immediately reminded of Lisa, your mother. But of course I didn't believe it; thought it was just a coincidence. But when Remus told me that your mother's name was Lisa Goldman, I became suspicious. I gave you the necklace, in hopes that you would recognize it. But you didn't at first. And even when you finally did, I still couldn't be completely sure."

     "Hang on... but that doesn't explain how you knew my mother. And what does her name and this necklace have to do with the fact that I was related to them, anyway?" I asked, looking down at the necklace. "You said this belonged to my mother, right?"