April morphed into May. Then May became June. The days turned cloudless and sultry. The sun lured students to come out of the castle to catch some rays of its warmth while the Black Lake glistened below. That's what Allegra was trying to do, because with June came final exams.
Allegra would admit she does her fair share of studying: she's not at the top of her year for no reason, but things just came easier for her if she truly put in the focus and effort, which she did most of the time. Still, she believed everyone needs a study break.
Cedric did not.
"I need to study!" He yelled.
"Then study here! You've been locked in the library for months!" She said, pulling at him with tremendous force toward the Black Lake.
"The sun impairs my vision. It's too bright," he argued. She rolled her eyes.
"It's the sun, Cedric. Besides, you could use a little tan. You're much paler than when I met you."
"You know what, if you're just going to-"
"Just come on. Actually, you know what?"
She moved so fast he didn't see her swipe his wand. All he saw was the end of the ash wood slip into her velvet drawstring bag.
She peered up at him challengingly. "You'll get this back once you've relaxed."
"What makes you think I won't just take it?" He smirked. Allegra didn't put up a fight when he took the bag from her hands. But she did grin when he dug his hand inside with furrowed brows, not grabbing what he needed.
"Love, where's my wand?"
"You'll get it back once you've relaxed," she repeated.
He gave her a half-hearted exasperated look, letting his arms fall at his sides. "Allegra-"
"Cedric."
He chuckled, not even being able to be truly upset with her. They settled beside the lake. Allegra stretched out her legs and leaned back onto her palms. She giggled when Cedric flopped down, resting his head on her lap as he rummaged through her bag. Still not finding his wand, much to his dismay.
What he did find were her books. He pulled a thin, weathered looking one out and sifted through its pages as she absentmindedly ran her fingers through his hair.
For a few minutes they sat comfortably in silence, merely enjoying each others presence. Cedric became engrossed in the novel. It wasn't until he felt petals being tossed into his hair that he looked back up.
Allegra's smile had mischief written all over it.
"Damn it, now you've ruined my hair," he pouted dramatically, flopping the book down on his face.
"Oh no," she gasped, "how ever will you woo the ladies now with your ruined hair?" She teased.
He peeked out from the book. "With my poetry, of course."
"That's my book! And you didn't even write these!" She laughed.
"That doesn't make it any less romantic," he said. "I can be quite the Casanova."
"Then woo me, my oh so great Casanova," she flirted.
Truth be told, Cedric adored his girlfriend's teases. The way something inside her lit up. Allegra had told him long ago that her name meant joy, and since she's walked into his life, she's indeed brought nothing but joy.
He had to pull his eyes back down to the page, reading carefully.
"Time will say nothing but I told you so. Time only knows the price we have to pay; If I could tell you, I would let you know.
If we should weep when clowns put on their show, if we should stumble when musicians play, time will say nothing but I told you so.
There are no fortunes to be told, although because I love you more than I can say. If I could tell you I would let you know.
The winds must come from somewhere when they blow, there must be reasons why the leaves decay; Time will say nothing but I told you so.
Perhaps the roses really want to grow,
The vision seriously intends to stay;
If I could tell you I would let you know.
Suppose all the lions get up and go,
And all the brooks and soldiers run away; will time say nothing but I told you so? If I could tell you I would let you know."
He set the book down. Allegra smiled softly. "Well, if you hadn't won me over before you definitely did now."
"I admit even I fell a bit in love with myself reading this," he joked, making her giggle. "What do you think it means? If I could tell you I would let you know. Time will say nothing but I told you so."
She shrugged, still combing through his hair as she looked down at him. "I think it means... being certain of nothing in a time of uncertainty, but if we knew what would happen we would tell the truth or do everything we could. That there must be reasons why things happen, even if we don't know what they are yet."
He moved his hand toward her face, pushing back a stray lock of hair. Instead of removing his hand after he'd done this, he cupped her cheek.
"That seems like a wonderful philosophy to live by," he said.
"Seems very care free, doesn't it?" She smiled as he now cupped her face with both hands, gently bringing her head down to him. Her dark hair cascaded a curtain around them.
Their noses grazed in a French kiss. "Will time say nothing but I told you so?" Said Cedric softly, "if I could tell you, I would let you know..."
Her lips brushed against his, delicately, just long enough that he could inhale her breath, feel the warmth of her skin, and the taste of cherry. Then his hands strayed from her face, one of them gripping the back of her neck as she angled her head. Heat rose to her cheeks as his tongue touched hers, quick and electric, then firmer, more determined, more curious about the heat that lay within, seeking to chase down that elusive liquid lightning that reached through both of them.
They pulled apart gracing flushed faces. Rosy cheeks and panting breaths filling the gap between them. Allegra sat up and Cedric aimlessly watched her in a daze, seeing what was happening but not truly comprehending it. It wasn't until he felt something flop on his stomach that he truly came back to his senses.
He leaned up on his elbows to look.
It was his wand.
"You've done all that I asked," she declared, moving to stand back up, "we can go back to the castle n- ah!"
She squealed as Cedric wrapped his arms around her, bringing her crashing down on top of him. Her waist straddled his, and he grinned roguishly at her.
"I don't think it would hurt to stay here a little longer."
Allegra smiled, then his lips were on hers again.
*
When exams finally did come, Allegra would like to think she did well on all of them. First she took her Arithmancy O.W.L. administered with the Ministry worker, and after that she told herself the worst was over.
For Charms, Flitwick had them do the Summoning and Exploding Charm. In Transfiguration, McGonagall had them focus on one of the more complicated topics they'd studied: Cross-Species Switches. In Potions, Snape looked like he smelled something foul when he saw her brew the Calming Draught perfectly, but she knew he took great pleasure in deducting points when she said perhaps he should have some.
Out of all her exams she'd subconsciously tried hardest on DADA. Not just because it was the most unusual exam she'd ever seen, compiled of obstacle courses outside, but for weeks Lupin seemed to be avoiding her like the plague. This was the one moment where he needed to pay attention to her. She wanted his praise. Wanted him to praise her the same way he did up until the middle of the school year.
"Orbis!"
She watched as the Erkling got sucked into the earth. Its high pitched screams drowned out into a muffle as it became engulfed into the ground.
It was a little disturbing to watch.
"Excellent, Allegra," Lupin muttered. "Full marks, as you also got past those Red Kappas and did the Reductor Curse perfectly. Though I can't give you full marks for the Boggart...that took you a little longer."
She faltered slightly. "I understand."
Lupin stared at her thoughtfully, looking like he wanted to say something more. Her chest deflated when he merely announced to the class that if they were finished with the exam they could head back to the castle.
She half-listened to what Prue, Robert, and Cormac were talking about. For the hundredth time she wondered what happened, what she'd done wrong, or just what changed that Lupin became....detached. He'd used to seek her out to merely check up on her, and while at first she thought it was strange, now she missed it.
Does it have to do with us having the Marauder's Map? He was really mad. But maybe it's also because he's sick.
Lupin's skin looked paler, almost clammy. He looked wearied out.
"-you two dumb? It's Espresso!" Screamed Prue.
"No, Expresso!" Snapped Robert.
"Allegra back me up here. Is it pronounced Espresso or Expresso?" Said Prue slowly.
They had just entered the Entrance Hall. Allegra looked at her friends, confused. "Espresso, duh. That's how it's spelled."
"See!" Yelled Prue in victory.
"No no no, I agreed with Robert so it's two out of two!" Said Cormac.
Allegra rolled her eyes. "No offense guys, but you literally whacked each other with the pillows with the Summoning Spell on the Charms exam."
"What are you trying to say?"
"That you're both dunderheads and it's pronounced Espresso!" Snapped Prue.
They kept arguing all the way up to Gryffindor tower. To be honest, Allegra found it a little hilarious how serious Prue and Robert were taking it.
"Canis Major," she said to the Fat Lady.
The portrait hole swung open. Cormac and her went inside while Prue and Robert lagged behind. She could faintly hear their voices.
"Madam Fat Lady, do you pronounce the caffeinated coffee drink Espresso or Expresso?"
The Fat Lady's response feel deaf to her ear as Cormac talked to her. "Sooo...now that we're alone-"
"No."
"Okay, have a good rest of your day Allegra," he waved, jogging up the boy's staircase. She rolled her eyes and walked over to join Hermione and Ron.
"Hey guys. How were your exa-" she paused, feeling how distressed the two Third Years were.
"What happened?" She said softly.
"Buckbeak," croaked Ron. "Hagrid lost the case. Here."
Ron handed her a note. The hand writing was barely legible.
Lost appeal. They're going to execute Buckbeak at sunset. Nothing you can do. Don't come down. I don't want you to see it.
Hagrid
"They can't do that," she said, staring down at the letter in disbelief. "Malfoy probably...Macnair...I can get my Uncle to-"
"Will make things messier," said Ron gently. "It's over, Allegra. We did everything we could to save Buckbeak, and he's still being put to death."
Silence fell over them. Created by nothing but grief and bitterness. For one too many times, the world was cruel to those who were innocent and didn't deserve it.
"Professor Trelawney," Harry panted running up to them, "just told me-"
He suddenly stopped, seeing the looks on their faces.
"Buckbeak lost," said Ron.
Allegra handed Harry the letter. As he read it, his eyes became more frantic.
"We've gotta go," he said, "Hagrid can't just sit there on his own waiting for the executioner."
"It happens at sunset though," replied Ron, staring out the window in a glazed sort of way. "We'd never be allowed...especially you, Harry."
Harry sank his head into his hands. "If only we had the Invisibly Cloak..."
"Where is it?" She asked.
He told them he'd left it in the passageway under the One-Eyed Witch when he was sneaking out to Hogsmeade. "If Snape sees me anywhere near there again, I'm dead," said Harry.
"That's true," agreed Hermione, standing to her feet. "But that's only if he sees you. How do you open the witch's hump again?"
"You tap it and say dissendium," replied Harry. "But-"
He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence because Hermione strode across the room, pushed open the portrait hole, and disappeared.
"She hasn't gone to get it, has she?" Said Ron, staring at where Hermione had just gone.
"Oh, she has," Allegra corrected.
She was right. Hermione came back twenty minutes later with the silvery cloak in hand.
Ron was astounded. "Mione, I don't know what's gotten into you lately! First you hit Malfoy, then you walk out on Professor Trelawney-"
"Just taking notes from Allegra," she winked at her.
Allegra had never felt more proud.
They went down to dinner but didn't return to Gryffindor tower. Harry hid the cloak in his robes with his arms folded to hide the lump. They skulked in an empty chamber off to the side of the Entrance Hall, waiting for it to clear out. When they heard the last fading footsteps and a door slamming, Allegra poked her head out from around the door.
"The coast is clear," she whispered, "let's put the cloak on."
Harry threw the cloak over them. They crossed the Hall before opening the front doors and heading down the steps toward the grounds. The sun was already setting behind the Forbidden Forest.
When they got to Hagrid's hut they knocked. It took a moment for him to answer, and when he did, he whipped all around looking for his visitor.
"It's us," Harry hissed. "We're wearing the Invisibly Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."
"Yeh shouldn't have come!" Hagrid whisper yelled, but none of the less stood back and let them pass. When the door shut, Harry pulled the cloak off.
Allegra took a good look at Hagrid. It was almost heart breaking to see how helpless he was. He looked like a man who didn't know where he was or what to do with himself.
"Want some tea?" He asked. His hands trembled reaching for the kettle.
"Where's Buckbeak, Hagrid?" Said Hermione gently.
"I took him outside," he replied, spilling milk all over the table as he filled up the jug. "He's tethered in the pumpkin patch. Thought he oughta see the trees an' smell the fresh air before he-"
He shook so badly that the milk jug slipped from his grasp, shattering to the floor.
"I've got it," she said immediately, hurrying over for a rag to clean up the mess.
"I'll help," Hermione added, grabbing another rag and joining her on the floor.
"There's another one in the cupboard," said Hagrid, sitting down and wiping his forehead on his sleeve.
"Isn't there anything anyone can do?" Asked Harry fiercely. "Dumbledore-"
"Has tried," Hagrid cut off. "He's got no power to overrule the committee. He told em' Buckbeak's alright, but they're scared...yeh know what Lucius Malfoy's like. Threatened them, I suspect. An' the executioner, Macnair, is an old friend of Malfoy's... but it'll be quick and clean. I'll be besides him..."
He gulped, eyes darting all over the cabin as if looking for some last shred of hope.
"Dumbledore's gonna come down while it happens. Wanted ter be with me. Great man, Dumbledore..."
Hermione, who'd been rummaging through the cupboard for another milk jug, let out a choked sob. Then she straightened herself up, fighting back tears.
"We'll stay with you too-" she began, but Hagrid shook his head.
"You'll do no such thing. Think I want you seeing something like that? No. An' yeh shouldn't have come down here anyway. If Fudge- if Dumbledore catches yeh, you'll be in big trouble, Allegra, Harry..."
Her brows knitted. "Why me more than Hermione and Ron?"
Hagrid's eyes widened. He sputtered something she couldn't quite make out as he bustled around making tea. Hermione picked up the milk bottle to pour some into the jug, then shrieked. "Ron! I-I don't believe it! It's Scabbers!"
Ron gaped at her. "What the bloody hell are you talking about?"
Hermione carried the milk jug over to the table and turned it upside down. With a frantic squeak and much scrambling to get back inside, Scabbers came sliding out.
"Scabbers! What are you doing here?" Said Ron blankly.
Suddenly Scabbers propelled himself onto her. Allegra shrieked trying to shoo him off.
"Ewww! Get him off-"
But at the look on Ron's face, she corrected herself.
"I mean...yaaayy...."
He tugged the struggling rat off her. Scabbers writhed in Ron's hands as if he were dragging him to hell.
"It's okay Scabbers," he said. "No cats! There's nothing here to hurt you."
Suddenly Hagrid stood up, eyes fixated out the window. His face had lost all color.
"They're coming."
The four of them whipped around. In the distance they could see Dumbledore, Cornelius Fudge, a feeble old committee member, and the executioner she'd met once but never forgotten, Macnair.
"Yeh gotta go," said Hagrid quickly. "They musn't find yeh here. Go now."
Ron stuffed Scabbers into his pocket. Hermione picked up the cloak.
"I'll let you out the back way."
They followed Hagrid to the door that lead to the back garden. Allegra felt a lump lodge into her throat when she saw Buckbeak a few yards away, tethered behind the pumpkin patch. He seemed to sense something horrible was about to happen because he sharply turned his head side to side, pawing the ground nervously.
"It's okay, Beaky, it's okay," Hagrid cooed. Then he turned to them.
"Go on."
But they didn't move.
"We can't just let-"
"We'll tell them what really happened-"
"I think I can pull a few strings-"
"They can't kill him-"
"Go!" Yelled Hagrid. "It's not safe!"
They had no choice. As Hermione threw the cloak over, they heard voices at the front of the cabin. Hagrid strode back inside as someone knocked on the front door.
In a horrified, half-dazed trance they went around Hagrid's house. As they reached the other side the front door closed with a sharp snap.
"Please, let's hurry up," Hermione whispered. "I can't stand it, I can't stand it..."
They started up the sloping lawn toward the castle. Dusk had fallen now: the sky a clear, orange-tinted grey with specks of incoming darkness.
Suddenly Ron stopped.
"Ron please," begged Hermione.
"It's Scabbers- he won't- stay -put-"
He was bent over, trying to keep Scabbers in his pocket, but the rat was going berserk. Squeaking, twisting, flailing, trying to sink his teeth into Ron's hand.
"Scabbers- it's me, you idiot. It's Ron," he hissed.
A door opened and male voices followed.
"Ron just please move! They're about to do it!" Hermione breathed.
"Okay- Scabbers, you better stay put-"
They walked forward until Ron stopped again.
"I can't hold him. Scabbers, shut up, everyone'll hear us-"
Scabbers was squealing wildly, but not loud enough to drown out the men's voices.
Suddenly there was silence. Then, without warning, the unmistakable swish and thud of an axe.
Hermione swayed on the spot. "They did it...they killed Buckbeak."
Allegra's mind went blank. The four of them stood horrified under the cloak. The very last rays of the sun cast a bloody-light over the sky. Then, came a wild howling.
"We...we should get going," croaked Ron.
They set back toward the castle in a muddled daze. The light was fading fast now. By the time they reached open ground, darkness had settled upon them.
Scabbers was still wriggling madly. Ron came to a halt, trying to force him deeper into his pocket. "What's the matter with you you stupid rat- OUCH! He bit me!"
"Be quiet," hissed Hermione. "Fudge will be out here any minute-"
"Don't blame me! Scabbers won't stay put!"
Scabbers was terrified. He was writhing with all his might, trying to break free of Ron's grip. He managed to slip between Ron's fingers, land on the ground, and scamper away. Ron threw the invisibility cloak off and followed him into the darkness.
"Ron are you kidding me! That rat isn't worth all this!" She huffed running after him. Harry and Hermione followed suit. They could hear Ron's feet thundering ahead along with his shouts.
When they finally did manage to catch up to Ron they almost fell over him, skidding to a halt. He was sprawled on the ground with Scabbers squeezed between his fingers.
"We need to get back under the cloak," Hermione panted. "If Dumbledore and the Minister-"
Before they could even catch their breaths there came the unmistakable soft pounding of gigantic paws.
Allegra whipped around, and before she could even process what was happening, saw an enormous jet-black dog leap towards them.
Everything happened in a blur. Harry getting knocked down by the dog, Ron standing back up, Hermione screaming, then the dog's vicious jaw fastening around Ron's arm, dragging him away.
"NO!" She screamed, throwing herself forward and grabbing hold of Ron. She managed to grab his left leg, but wasn't prepared for the force the dog was pulling them by. The ground beneath them became a flashing whirlwind. Allegra tried planting and digging her feet into the dirt to stop them, but the dog growled furiously at the resistance and pulled even harder. He dragged them as if they were mere rag dolls.
"Llegra let go!" Pleaded Ron.
"I'm not leaving you alone with this thing- it'll kill you!" She yelped.
"Better just me than both of us!"
"Hold on- just let me-"
With all her force she dug her feet into the ground. Dirt surged its way in a wrecked path and sunk into her shoes and pants. They slowed down ever so slightly, and for just a moment, she thought she'd won.
But her movements had greatly angered the dog. He pulled and jolted them so hard one of her hands slipped from Ron's leg, and she yelped pushing her body forward to get a tight grip again.
The terrain began to change. No longer could she focus on anything other than the feeling of Ron in her hands and sharp rocks and twigs digging through her clothes. She clenched her teeth in pain, trying yet again to dig her feet into the earth.
"Allegra-"
"No no, I can do this," she hissed. She wanted to cry in frustration when she angled her legs to slow them down again, but her knee caught a jagged rock that vibrated it to the bone and made her scream as a flare of pain surged through her leg.
In her pain, she didn't notice the dog pulling them to a large gap in the roots of the Whomping Willow.
"ALLEGRA! RON!"
Her senses jolted back hearing Harry's screams. Her eyes swished around. They were on the edge of what looked like a black hole, and Ron's other leg was trying to hook around a tree root in an effort to stop the dog from pulling them in. As soon as she processed all this she heard a sickening crack, then screams as she plummeted downwards.
Darkness surrounded them. The dog managed to drag them faster as their clothes slid easily along the stone floor. When she tried planting her feet once again, the bottom of her shoe slipped amongst the smooth floor and couldn't grip onto anything.
There was no use in trying anymore. The dog wasn't stopping, and Allegra refused to let go of Ron. They could do nothing more than brace themselves amongst the jagged stone floor.
The moment the tunnel began to rise the dog slowed down. They slid through an opening of dim lighting. Once she felt a smooth wooden floor beneath her, the dog let go. They'd finally stopped.
Immediately Allegra shot up, wincing when her knees touched the ground. Ron withered below her in pain. His arm looked absolutely bloodied and torn, and his right leg stuck out at a strange angle.
His eyes screamed in pain at her. "L-llegra-"
"Shh, I-I think I can fix it," she cooed mindlessly. Her mind was running haywire. "I-I don't know any healing spells, b-but I can cast the Aguamenti Charm on your arm. If you let me alter your feelings I can make you relax, but your leg-"
In her rambling she didn't notice Ron's eyes widening in horror behind her.
"Allegra-"
"-it'll numb you so you won't really feel i-"
"ALLEGRA! Look behind you! It wasn't a dog, it was an Animagus!"
She whirled on the spot.
Nothing could've prepared her for the sight of Sirius Black standing there.
Seeing Black now was nothing like seeing him the night he held the knife over Ron and her. Here he stood at full height in good lighting and wasn't running away. No, he just stood there. She just sat there. The both of them staring at each other. Unconsciously unable to look away.
But when he spoke, it was the most horrible sound she'd ever heard.
"Allegra...my little Gioia."
She felt sick. The way he rasped her name was like nails on a chalkboard.
"G-get away," she croaked. "Get away...get away get away get away," she whispered, scooting backwards until her back bumped into something.
It was Ron, wrapping his arms around her protectively.
Black's eyes flashed. His shoulders slumped, gazing at them sadly. Something inside her flared at this. The fact he had the audacity to be sad about anything right now.
He took the smallest step forward, fingers twitching. "Allegra-"
"Don't say my name."
"Allegra-"
"DON'T SAY MY NAME!"
Ron froze. He'd never seen Allegra so angry. He watched, shocked, as tears blurred his friend's eyes, and her face contorted into a flushed, feral sneer.
"You don't deserve to say my name! You don't get to say the name my mother gave me before you killed her! You don't get to-"
"I didn't kill her."
Allegra's glare could've sent any man through all nine circles of hell.
But not Sirius Black.
"What did you just say?"
"I didn't kill Isabella," he declared resolutely.
Allegra wasn't thinking. She refused to believe Black, despite not sensing nor seeing any anxious or timidness she usually felt from people when they lied. Instead, she told herself he wasn't nervous because he was a remorseless psychopath.
She laughed coldly. "You're more insane than I thought. You're a murderer, a Death Eater, a traitor, and a liar."
"I didn't kill Isabella," he repeated.
Ron tugged on her. "Allegra, don't egg him on. He's a-"
"No, I wanna hear what he has to say," she seethed standing to her feet. "I want to hear why he thinks he's not the one who killed her."
They stared at each other. She didn't know what to feel at the storming conflict within his eyes. The sorrow that oozed with the death of a thousand souls.
"I loved her."
Bile rose into the back of her throat.
"You're crazy," she croaked.
"Perhaps so," he said, taking a step forward. Allegra watched him warily.
"Perhaps I'm a lot of things, but I'm not a liar...unlike Caspian fucking Del Vecchio."
"My Uncle is not a liar," she said immediately. She wouldn't agree with anything Black said.
"Is he though?" He mused, taking another step forward. "If he wasn't, well...we would be having a completely different conversation right now."
"What the hell are you talking about?" She asked.
Black gazed at her in a glazed sort of way. For just a moment he didn't look like mass murderer, Sirius Black. He looked...broken.
"You truly have no idea, do you? You...you don't remember me at all?" he said softly.
Allegra was getting sick and tired of this, tired of not knowing. What did Black want?
"What? What don't I know?!" she yelled.
She didn't like the way he stared at her. In plain vulnerability. His grey eyes were a glimmering mist of tears, mouth gaping open and closed for a few moments, as if unable to get the words out.
"I'm...I'm your dad."
It were as if a sledgehammer had bashed into her skull with millions of thoughts and questions, yet she couldn't form one coherent thought. Instead, she stared numbly at the tattered, desperate, crazed man before her. She took in his features, trying to convince herself otherwise.
But it was all there: the unruly wavy black hair, prominent cheekbones, narrowed nose, and cupid shaped lips.
It would take more than looks to convince her.
She willed herself to take a deep breath that came out shaky. "Prove it...if you loved her like you say you do...what did this mean to her," she whispered, raising her left wrist so the golden bracelet shone in the light.
Black stared at it wistfully. As if he couldn't believe it was there. "It's your family heirloom. Isabella wore it so she could block out hearing other people's thoughts...that's the same reason you wear it."
She backed away, stumbling into a broken tattered chair, but she didn't notice. Her eyes couldn't seem to stray from the man before her. And for some reason he had the audacity to be...hurt?
"No...no no no. It can't be because you killed her. You killed her. It can't be because that would mean..."
The longer she stared at him the more she couldn't face the truth. The more she felt sick. Because deep down inside, she knew it to be true. It all made sense.
Why she was never told who her father was.
Where she got her black hair and other features that were impossible to be from her mother.
Why her Uncle utterly loathed the man.
Why Lupin, McGonagall, and Dumbledore had been giving her pitying looks all year.
"Allegra...sweetheart-"
"Shut up," she growled. Her throat constricted. It felt as though sand was poured down it. A boiling hatred erupted within her chest.
"You're a monster!" She screamed. "How could you kill her?! What did she do wrong?! WHAT DID SHE DO WR-"
Black rushed to her. "Shhh! It wasn't like that I swear! Please, the Dementors-"
"I hope the Dementors come! I hope they drag you kicking and screaming back to Azkaban! HEY DEMENTORS! SI-"
He tackled her to the ground. Through her sobs she could faintly hear Ron shouting and cursing.
His dirty matted hair grazed her face. The heavy weight of his body over her had her withering in panic as he stole the air from her lungs. She thrashed and clawed against his iron grip.
"Please just calm down and lis-"
"GET THE FUCK OFF ME YOU COWARD! YOU HEARTLESS FUCKING BASTARD! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU-"
"I DIDN'T DO IT!" He roared. "I didn't kill Isabella nor did I betray James and Lily-"
"YOU'RE LYING!" She rebutted, "you'd say anything to-"
He suddenly slammed his hand onto the floor just besides her head, making the ground shake and her flinch. She wished the earth would swallow her whole at the dark gaze he held her under.
"Scream all you want but I'm not letting go until you listen! Hit me, beat me, curse me all you want because I know damn well I deserve it, but get it through your thick skull that I didn't kill Isabella and that I am NOT going to lose you again! I AM NOT GOING TO LOSE YOU AGAIN!"
It happened so quick she couldn't remember doing it. All Allegra felt was a raw, pure, red-hot rage and grief strike at her chest. She felt like burning the world as long as Sirius Black burned with it. This was the man who tore her mother apart. Who led James and Lily Potter to the slaughter. Who left Harry an orphan to the hands of muggles. Who deprived them of growing up normally.
The ground began to tremble. Dust and chips fell from the tattered ceiling, and creaking resonated all around as the old house threatened to collapse. None of this resonated to her. She simply twisted her hands out of out of his grasp and gripped his face with all the force she could manage.
"You're a liar!" She said. "I'm gonna make you feel the exact same pain I've felt my entire life because of you!"
She felt every nerve in her arm tingle with furious magic as it raced down her hand and through her fingers. She dug through Black's mind, looking for his worst experiences, relishing in his screams of pain and agony.
"STOP! STOP! STOP!"
Terror. Fear.
Visions of memories flashed before her as quick as a lighting bolt. It all seemed black and white but it was grey stone, most likely Azkaban. To her though, it wasn't enough. What she needed was right...
There.
A crowded street.
Cars swerving and honking.
"NO NO NO-"
Screaming at a short, mousy brown haired man.
Two men drawing their wands
A silvery soft voice in the distance.
Dread.
Terror.
Allegra locked in on the terror and dread he was feeling and intensified it, watching his eyes squeeze shut as he gasped for desperate breath at the pain he was in.
"Allegra stop! You're killing him!"
Was this how Beatrice Del Vecchio felt when she killed the man who killed her brother?
Was this what vengeance was?
The mousy haired man's eyes quavering with tears and terror, lips moving non-stop as he pointed his wand.
"Sirius-"
A mere glimpse, flash of wide pale blue eyes and tattered golden hair.
Then a fiery orange light that burned the world around them.
Orange
Heat
Screams
Smoke
Ringing
Blood
Through the smoke the mousy haired man shrinking into a rat, and disappearing within the sewer lines.
An empty, golden bracelet drenched in blood.
A gasp tore from her throat so sharply that her back arched, coughing furiously. Her hands dropped like dead weight from Black's face, falling besides her head in a heap. It felt like she had a fever. As if her brain had run into overdrive to the point of deliriousness. But at the forefront of her mind came the truth, and nothing but the truth.
She willed her heavy eyelids open. She hadn't realized Black collapsed on top of her, shaking and spasming violently with sobs wracking his chest.
"You didn't do it," she whispered.
His head craned up, eyes screaming in pain. He was miserable, irritated, yet something was off. A hint of madness, instability in his features.
She'd almost killed him.
"I-I'm so sorry," she cried, her own tears blurring her vision.
She'd done this.
Oh god...
"What you really fear," spoke Tom, "is inside yourself. You fear your own power. The drive to do great or terrible things."
"I'm a monster," she whispered, rubbing her eyes to wipe away the tears but they just kept on coming.
"N-no, you're not," wheezed Black.
She opened her eyes. Something tore in her heart when she saw him absolutely wearied out. A hundred times more ghastly after what she'd done.
He grabbed her hands again, but this time it wasn't an iron grip to hold her down. It was soft and gentle. But before he could say anything, a hurried set of footsteps ran into the room.
There at the doorway stood Hermione and Harry with dirt skewed clothes and faces grazed with bloody cuts.
All Harry saw was Sirius Black pinning Allegra to the ground.
"GET OFF OF HER!" He roared.
Allegra watched, shocked, as Harry ran faster than she'd ever seen anyone move before and shove Black off of her. The moment he toppled over he grabbed her, yanking her with him across the room to the corner Hermione and Ron were at.
"T-the dog!" Stammered Ron, pointing to Black as he stood back up. "W-was an Animagus!"
Hermione moved to stand in front of them. "If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!"
"No. Only one will die tonight," said Black menacingly.
"Then it'll be you!" Growled Harry. He charged forward and wrapped his hands around Black's throat, knocking him down to the floor. He kept one hand wrapped around Black's neck while the other pulled out his wand, shoving it upon his temples.
"Harry wait, stop!" She yelled. "It's not what you think!"
"It's exactly what I think!" He yelled back at her, not daring to tear his eyes away from man below him. "He deserves to die!"
Black laughed manically. "Are you going to kill me, Harry?"
"DON'T!" She screamed desperately, "he's my dad!"
Stiff silence ensued. Hermione's mouth gaped open and closed, at a loss for words. Ron shifted with a heavy awful feeling upon his chest, awaiting the chaos he knew would ensue.
And Harry...Harry squeezed his eyes shut, not daring to pull his wand away from Black nor look Allegra in the eye.
"I know," he whispered.
Allegra's brows furrowed, confused. "What're you talking about? I just found out, how could you-"
"That day in Hogsmeade back in December I heard McGonagall talking about it," he answered. "They said you could never find out Black was your father because Mr. Del Vecchio wanted to keep it that way."
She stared at Harry. A slow, heavy, awful feeling began to rise within her chest.
"You knew..." She whispered. "You've known for months..."
"It seems I came at the right time, sweetheart," piped Black from the ground. "It looks like everyone in your life feeds you nothing but lies."
"SHUT UP!" Roared Harry, tightening his grip on Black's throat. "SHUT UP!"
Thundering footsteps came from the doorway, and a moment later Professor Lupin came hurtling in. At the sight of Sirius Black he didn't he hesitate to raise his wand.
"Expelliarmus!"
Harry's want went flying across the room. Lupin nodded for him to step away, and he did so, stumbling back to the corner they were in.
Lupin languidly approached Black, wand still pointed. "Well, well, Sirius. Looking rather ragged, aren't we? Finally the flesh reflects the madness within."
A manic grin spread across Black's face. "Well, you'd know all about the madness within, wouldn't you Remus?"
Lupin lowered his wand. Then, gradually, a sly grin appeared on his face.
He seized Black's hand and pulled him to his feet. They embraced each other like brothers.
Allegra's jaw dropped.
"I found him," said Black into Lupin's chest, trembling.
"I know-"
"He's here!"
"I understand-"
"Let's kill him!" He grinned.
"NO!" Screamed Hermione with wild eyes. "I trusted you! And all this time, you've been his friend!"
She turned to look back at them, pointing at Lupin accusingly. "He's a werewolf! That's why he's been missing classes!"
Everyone's eyes were now on Lupin, who looked remarkably calm.
Partially...Allegra wasn't that shocked. It made sense. It would explain why he called out sick every few weeks. Why days leading up to calling out sick, he grew more and more weary and pale. The scars on his face were probably from transformations.
"How long have you known?" He asked.
"Since Professor Snape set the essay," replied Hermione.
Lupin forced a laugh. "Well, well, well Hermione, you really are the brightest witch of your age-"
"Enough talk, Remus! Come on, let's kill him!" Snapped Black.
Lupin held up a hand. "Wait-"
"I DID MY WAITING!" He screamed, with such pure raw emotion it had her seeing stars.
"Twelve years of it! In Azkaban! Do you have any idea what that's like?!"
He pointed at her with a trembling finger. "I missed twelve years of my daughter's life. I was blamed for killing Isabella. I'm held to such a low, vile bar that no one dared to tell her about me. Let me fix this, Remus, let me fix this!"
Lupin stared thoughtfully at Black for a long hard moment, gulping. Then he looked back at them in the corner, and handed his wand over to Black.
"Very well. Kill him," he said. "But wait one more minute. Allegra and Harry have the right to know why."
"I know why," seethed Harry, trembling with rage. "You betrayed by parents. You're the reason they're dead. You're the reason Allegra doesn't have a mother."
"You know, I'm getting a little sick and tired of hearing that-"
"It wasn't him," cut in Lupin. "Somebody did betray your parents and kill Isabella, but it was somebody who, until quite recently, I believed to be dead."
"Who was it then?!" Snapped Harry.
"Peter Pettigrew!" Sneered Black, waving his arms around dramatically. "He's in this room! Right now! Come out come out, Peter! Come out come out and plaaaay!"
"Expelliarmus!"
Allegra had to do a double take at the sight of Snape storming in. Black's wand flew across the room.
Snape pointed his wand at Black with a vicious sneer. She felt nothing but pure raw loathing spew between the two men.
"Vengeance is sweet," said Snape with relish, "oh how I hoped I'd be the one to catch you."
Lupin slowly stepped forward. "Severus-"
Snape pointed his wand at him, and Lupin backed away closer to Black. "I told Dumbledore you were helping an old friend into the castle, and now, here's the proof."
"Brilliant, Snape," said Black in a tone of mockery. "Once again you've put your keen and penetrative mind to the task, and as usual come to the wrong conclusion."
Snape looked taken aback.
"Now if you'll excuse us," he continued, "Remus and I have some unfinished business to attend to."
Snape pressed his wand to Black's neck threateningly. "Give me a reason. I beg you," he drawled.
Lupin stepped forward awkwardly. "Severus, don't be a fool-"
Black snorted. "He can't help it, it's habit by now-"
"Sirius be quiet-"
"Be quiet yourself Remus!"
Lupin threw his hand up in defeat and walked away.
"Oh look at you two, quarrelling like an old married couple," jeered Snape.
"Why don't you run along and play with your chemistry set!" Retorted Black.
Snape pressed his wand even harder against Black's neck.
Allegra slowly reached for her wand.
"I could do it, you know," he said lowly. "But why deny the Dementors? They're so longing to see you."
All color drained from Black's face.
No. Not until we hear the whole story.
"Do I detect a flicker of fear? Oh yes," quipped Snape. "A Dementor's kiss. One can only imagine what that must be like to endure. It's said to be nearly unbearable to witness, but I'll do my best."
"Severus please," pleaded Lupin.
But the Potions Professor merely pointed out the door, glaring daggers at Black. "After you."
He glanced towards them. Allegra raised her wand. She did it quicker than he could react.
"Flipendo!"
Snape flew across the room and slammed into wall, sliding down to the floor. A trickle of blood oozes from his hair. He was knocked out.
"Allegra! What did you just do!" Squeaked Ron.
"You attacked a teacher!" Added Hermione.
She shook her head, lowering her wand and looking back at Lupin and Black. "Tell us about Peter Pettigrew. Who is he?"
"He was at school with us. We thought he was our friend," said Lupin.
Harry's head shook in denial. "No, Pettigrew's dead. He died alongside Miss Del Vecchio. You killed him," he said, pointing to Black.
"No he didn't," said Lupin quickly. "I thought so too until you mentioned seeing Pettigrew on the map."
"The map was lying then!"
"The map never lies," Black declared. "Pettigrew's alive! And he's right there!"
He pointed to Ron.
Scabbers flailed in Ron's hold while Ron's brows furrowed. "Me?! He's mental!"
"No, not you!" Black scoffed. "Your rat!"
"Scabbers? He's been in my family for-"
"Twelve years," said Black in an airy, mocking sort of tone, beginning to stalk towards Ron. "Curiously long life for a common garden rat. He's missing a toe, isn't he?"
"So what?" Said Ron.
Harry paled. "All they could find of Pettigrew was his-"
"Finger!" Black finished. "Dirty coward cut it off so everyone would think he was dead! And then he transformed, into a rat!"
"Show me," demanded Harry.
Black's eyes darkened. He bent down to reach for Scabbers. The rat twisted flailed and squealed like never before as Ron tried to stretch his arms away from Black's reach.
"Give it to him, Ron."
"What are you trying to do to him?" Ron wailed when his pet was ripped away from his grasp. "Scabbers!"
Black dangled Scabbers by his tail with one hand while the other held Snape's wand. Lupin stood besides him, also pointing his wand to the rat. Ron's screams of protest drowned out in the background, unable to do anything because of his leg.
Black dropped Scabbers on the piano, and the rat was quick to zoom across the surface and scurry to the floor. The two men shot spells, missing, until finally the blue-white light hit its target.
A head shot upward from the ground; limbs were sprouting, and a moment later, a man was standing where Scabbers had been.
He was a very short man. Allegra was taller than him by several inches. He had frail hair she couldn't quite make the color of, and small watery eyes.
But something nudged at her skull the longer she stared at his features. He looked familiar...she'd seen him somewhere before.
Then it hit her.
Screaming at a short, mousy brown haired man.
The mousy haired man's eyes quavering with tears and terror, lips moving non-stop as he pointed his wand.
"Sirius-"
A fiery orange light that burned the world around them.
It's him...
"Remus, Sirius," squeaked Pettigrew. "My old friends!"
Suddenly he tried bolting for the door, but Lupin and Black quickly stopped him, throwing him back into the room.
Pettigrew whipped around looking for an escape, some sort of aid.
When his eyes landed on her, they glazed over.
An unpleasant chill surged down her spine. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. This dread only increased the closer Pettigrew came to her, raising a shaky arm.
"Allegra...you look so much like Isabella," he whispered. "My sweet, sweet love..."
His dirty finger nails had just barely grazed her cheekbones when a sickening 'crack' resonated the room.
All Allegra saw was blood.
So much blood.
Pettigrew was whimpering and cowering on the floor with blood oozing out of his mouth and nose. Black clambered on top of him, fisting his shirt.
He looked absolutely feral. Foam frothing at the mouth and veins bursting out of his skin. She'd never seen such an angry, crazed, dark look in someone's eye before.
A look that lacked humanity.
"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO ALLEGRA?! HOW DARE YOU TRY TO TOUCH HER AFTER YOU KILLED ISABELLA! YOU'RE A SICK. VILE. FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!"
Between each word a punch was thrown to Pettigrew's face. Spots of blood splattered onto the floor. It took great- no, a lot, a lot, a lot of effort for Lupin to pull Black off Pettigrew. Even then he still tried to keep swinging in Lupin's hold.
Pettigrew stayed mewling in pain on the floor. No one felt even the tiniest bit of remorse.
"You sold James and Lily to Voldemort, didn't you?!" Yelled Lupin.
Pettigrew whimpered, rubbing his hands over his face. "I didn't mean to! The Dark Lord, you have no idea the weapons he possesses. Ask yourself, Sirius, what would you have done? What would you have done?!"
"I would've died!" He roared. "I would have died rather than betray my friends!"
He managed to throw Lupin off, going back to standing over Pettigrew. He fisted him up by his shirt, hoisting him up helplessly. A cruel smile stretched across his face.
"That was your excuse for betraying James and Lily...now, what's your excuse for killing Isabella?" He whispered menacingly.
Though he wasn't screaming, his calm tone was far more chilling than any roar would've been.
Allegra was on the edge of her feet, her palms sweating as she awaited Pettigrew's words.
His eyes watered. "I didn't mean to kill her," he whispered. "She wasn't suppose to be there. By the time the spell it came out it was too late."
"That's a pathetic excuse," sneered Black, " just like you."
Pettigrew flushed angrily. "It should've been you," he seethed. "You never deserved Isabella. Never have, never will. And you wonder why she almost went with-"
This time no one stepped in when Black dropped Pettigrew and began beating him again.
Remus wanted to stop the fight for the sole reason the scene was far too gory for children. If they weren't there he would've definitely joined Sirius.
But when he looked at the four teens, he was shocked.
Hermione couldn't even watch, glancing off to the side and grimacing at every noise made. Ron stared on in morbid fascination with a scrunched face. Harry was clearly distributed, but there was a battle of turmoil written all over his features. A hint of satisfaction in his eyes.
And Allegra...Allegra stared at the scene before her with crossed arms: posture as if she were merely bored. Not even fazed in the slightest. Remus didn't know what to make of the fact she stared on with hard cold satisfaction and glee at the violence.
"Us Del Vecchios are no strangers to violence," slurred Isabella. "Especially the woman...if I ever go insane, don't be surprised."
At last Sirius somewhat slowed down. Peter gasped for breath, scratching the floor as if to burrow through the earth as his means to escape. His blue eyes flashed to Harry, pleading desperately for mercy.
"Please, Harry...James wouldn't have wanted me killed. Your dad would have spared me. He would have shown me mercy."
Black kicked him in the ribs again, shutting him up. He moved to stand side-by-side with Lupin, wands raised. "You should have realized, Peter, that if Voldemort didn't kill you, then we would. Together!"
"NO!" Yelled Harry.
All eyes snapped towards him.
Allegra frowned. "What do you mean no?"
Lupin huffed. "Harry, this man-"
"I know what he is," he said. "But we'll take him to the castle."
Pettigrew crawled towards Harry like a dying sinner to a preacher. "Bless you, boy, bless you!"
"Get off!" Harry spat when Pettigrew tried to kiss his feet. He stared down at him with loathing and disgust.
"I said we'd take you to the castle. After that the Dementors can have you."
It was settled.
Peter Pettigrew would face the Dementors Kiss.
Lupin conjured up chains and put them on Pettigrew. Hermione and Black went to help Ron with his broken leg.
Allegra watched as Harry hesitantly walked towards her. She stared at him blankly.
Yet inside, her heart was shattering.
When he was an arms reach away he stopped and reached for her hand. She faltered. Almost letting him in just because it was Harry...her Harry.
But when their knuckles grazed, she shrugged him off.
His face twisted with hurt. "Allegra..."
"You know," she began shakily, "I expected my Uncle to lie to me...but not you. Never you."
"I-I-," he didn't know what to say. The broken look on Allegra's face made him feel like no matter what he said, it wouldn't be good enough.
Why did you lie?
Why didn't you tell me?
"I didn't say anything because...I wanted you to be happy," he said feebly.
She scoffed. "Do I look happy right now?!"
Sirius glanced over.
"Any other way would have been better than finding out the way I did. I almost-" she stopped. A lump formed in her throat remembering what she'd done.
What would've happened if she'd...
Oh god.
"I'm sorry," Harry whispered.
"So am I," she croaked back.
His brows furrowed. "What are you sorry for?"
"For believing you could never hurt me."
For this was not the first, and certainly not the last time Harry Potter and Allegra Del Vecchio would hurt each other.
Unedited