It had been several days since the last task of the Triwizard Tournament; and Cedric's Diggory's murder. Dumbledore had instructed Sirius to 'lie low' at Remus Lupin's house, and he did just that. We wrote to each other frequently, even several times a day.
The day after the third task, I continued on my training. And ever since the event, the Ministry was becoming more paranoid than ever.
The incident was a major topic of gossip in the Ministry. And Rita Skeeter had written another of her infamous articles, but this time, she had discredited Harry, which became the basis leading to many including the Minister himself to not believe that Voldemort had really returned.
And it produced a campaign against Harry's 'false claims'.
Fudge was afraid that Dumbledore might take over his position as Minister for Magic, and his trust with the elderly wizard was gone. He refused to believe that Voldemort had returned.
The whole Ministry had went against Harry. Not one of them believed Harry. However, there were a few Ministry officials that truly believed that Harry was telling the truth.
That included myself, Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Mad-Eye (who was succesfully healed in Hogwarts after Barty Crouch Jr had captured him and returned to work in the Ministry) a few other Aurors, and a few more.
I was sitted on the sole chair of the Auror training room as Mad-Eye was busy teaching me a lesson in Stealth and Tracking.
But my mind was a million miles away, I wasn't paying attention to Mad-Eye's lecture at all. I looked as though I was listening but I really wasn't, my hand was loosely holding a quill as I sat there staring a the wall with a blank expression on my face.
My feet were not moving.
My mind was only thinking of one thing.
Voldemort.
He was back.
The wizard that killed thousands, that had the good people go to the dark side and rally around the streets. And killed people just to follow his orders. Voldemort murdered innocent people and brought destruction on both the Wizarding World and the Muggle World.
The wizard that was behind the death of my brother. The wizard behind the attack of Neville Longbottom's parents, Alice and Frank, that driven them into insanity.
The wizard who divided the Marauders.
And the wizard who murdered Harry's parents when he was just a baby.
He wasn't really the murderer of every person, but he was the reason why they were murdered. Too soon.
And he was back.
I felt sick as memories of the First Wizarding War flashed in my eyes.
"SELENE!!"
I was snapped out of my thoughts. And with a blink of my eye, I found myself back in reality; my eyes roamed around the room, trying to recall why I was here anyway. And my eyes finally met the stiff figure of Mad-Eye Moody, who obviously did not look very pleased.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Where were we again?" I said quietly.
"Constant vigilance, Selene!" he said stiffly, as he returned back to the lecture and I found myself quickly scribbling down the notes that were in the board that I had not seen.
"Now pay attention, will you?"
I released a sigh as I focused on the lesson.
Midway into Mad-Eye's lesson, my focus completely vanished when the silence of the room was broken by the sound of the doors opening.
"For goodness sake, what is it now?" Mad-Eye muttered, dropping the chalk roughly on his desk as Tonks was sprinting into the room, panting and her face was pale.
"Tonks is everything alright?" I asked, standing from my seat.
"I'm sorry for interupting the lesson, Mad-Eye," Tonks exhaled, pushing a streak of her violet hair into the back of her ear. "But an emergency has happened."
Mad-Eye's electrical eye widened, as well as his other.
"Selene. M-mum and Dad are calling us. A d-dark wizard has broken into the house." Tonks said, her voice faltering as she spoke
"W-what?" I said, alarmed.
"Don't just stand there, go home. This will prove if you have been paying attention." Mad-Eye said shortly, patting my back.
"You mean it?" I asked as he nodded.
Tonks quickly grabbed my hand as the two of us ran from the training room. Our hearts racing as the two of us ran through the hallways of the Ministry, dozens of the employees casting confused looks at us.
But I did not care.
All I cared about was Ted and Andy's safety.
What if something bad happened to them?
I could not bare to see other important people in my life gone while Voldemort is out there.
"We'll have to apparate. It's the quickest way!" Tonks said loudly, her face full of worry and fear.
The two of us apparated and with an eye's blink, I found ourselves outside the house.
My heart pounded faster and faster. Tonks and I quickly pulled our wands out of our pockets.
"Do what we all taught you." Tonks told me.
I nodded and quickly kicked the door open, the two of us dashed inside the house, wands raised as our eyes widened with the sight we instantly saw.
My eyes did not expect to see what was in front of me right now.
Ted was pointing his wand at Sirius, who was tied up, thin snake-like cords bounded his body, and a white handkerchief was wrapped around his mouth as he was letting out muffled shouts for help.
"Shit, I did not expect that!" Tonks hissed, as I stood still in my place, I did not know what to do. My eyes met Sirius's grey ones with sympathy. A part of me wanted to help him, but the other part, was whispering to my ear that I should stay back while I watch my family deal with my brother.
"We have to summon the Dementors," Tonks said to Andy and Ted as the two of them nodded. "The Impediment Jinx will ought to do the trick first."
"Help!" Sirius was yelling, but was muffled as he tried desperately to break free.
"Selene. Now!" Tonks shouted, signalling me to perform the jinx at the desperate Sirius. I did not move, my hand was still clutching my wand.
"Do it!"
I slowly raised my wand, as Sirius flinched and closed his eyes, prepared to receive the jinx I was about to cast at him. My fingers were trembling, the three were yelling colossally to fire the jinx at him.
I shook my head mentally.
I can't do this. They need to know the truth, I said to myself, They need to know Sirius is innocent. I'm tired of keeping secrets from everyone
"Diffindo!" I hollered, pointing my wand at the cords that bound Sirius.
"Selene what are you doing?!" Ted was shouting, as Andy and Tonks looked with shocked faces.
And with a blink of an eye, the cords had fallen to the ground. I immediately rushed to Sirius and I untied the handkerchief that bounded his mouth. Sirius got up to his feet, and pulled me into an embrace.
Our hug was cut short as I pushed Sirius a few inches away from me. Ted, Andy, Tonks were looking at the two of us, pale-faced; eyes widened and the three were shocked and angry at the same time.
"How could you?" Andy asked hoarsely, tears spilling from her eyes. "After everything we've done for you? After I took you in after you lost your family and took care of you for nine years. Is this how you repay us, Selene?"
I shook my head quickly.
"P-please, Andy ... if I can explain." I said. But they took a few retreating steps away from me.
I sighed, looked at them and then at Sirius.
"It's time that I told you the truth." I said quietly.
Ted, Andy and Tonks sat on the couch, as Sirius and I sat opposite them. Their expressions were blank as I told them everything.
The truth.
The truth about Sirius's innocence. The truth about the reason behind the deaths of James and Lily Potter. The truth about my relationship with a professor in school, the truth of the nasty scars in my chest.
And – I met Sirius during the school year. I knew his innocence. And I kept it to myself for one year.
They seemed to have taken each word I said.
"Why didn't you tell us? If you had told us, this wouldn't be happening," Andy said to me as I lowered my head and then turned to Sirius. "And we could've helped your name be cleared."
Sirius bit his lip nervously.
"I-I thought I would protect you all by keeping the truth away from the three of you. I thought it would be much more worse if I had told you earlier. I'm sorry. Really sorry." I replied.
Andy stood from the couch, her hands tightly grasping the hems of her skirt.
"You are forgiven," she said. "And you, Sirius – you're forgiven too."
The corners of his mouth had risen until he was fully beaming. Andy had gladfully grabbed Sirius into an embrace.
"It's so good to have you back, cousin." Andy whispered to Sirius, which made his cheeks turn pinkish.
Sirius stayed for the rest of the afternoon in the house, having fun conversations with Ted and Andy, and kept commenting how little Tonks used to be the last time he saw her. He stayed over for dinner, and kept telling jokes which made all of us laugh.
At around 8:00, once dinner was over, Sirius broke the silence.
"Er ... there is something. I'd like you all to know, some news. Important news." Sirius said. The four of us looked at him incredulously.
Sirius cleared his throat then spoke. "Dumbledore has reinstated the Order of the Phoenix recently, and the Headquarters will be located in Grimmauld Place."
"Order of the Phoenix? Isn't that —" I asked.
"The organization to oppose You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters." Ted replied to my interrupted question.
"Well, since my name's not cleared yet, I have to be stuck there so that I won't be seen. And ...." Sirius continued.
Sirius looked awkwardly at Andy and Ted, then looked at me.
"What is it?" Andy asked.
He released a heavy sigh.
"I'd like Selene to live with me – permanently." he said finally.
Tonks choked on her drink as my head was now raised and I looked at Sirius with utter shock. Ted and Andy exhanged glances with shock as well. The promise that Sirius had made to me about two years ago. It was happening? Right now?
"Selene – living in – Grimmauld Place – with – you?" Andy asked.
"That was exactly a full-length version of what I said, Andy." Sirius chuckled.
Andy paused awkwardly, and stood from her seat. "Sirius, could I have a word with you?"
Sirius looked at me then followed Andy outside.
"Excuse me, I have to go upstairs." I said to Ted and Tonks as I went upstairs. Quickly opening my bedroom door, I carefully opened my window to see Andy and Ted and I overheard them talking, quite intensely.
"You know it's gonna be hard for me to accept that Selene won't be living under this roof anymore. I don't know if I'm ready to see her leaving, Sirius." Andy was talking to Sirius in a low voice.
"I know how you feel. But I made a promise to her that she can come live with me, like a proper family." Sirius said.
I sighed quietly. As much I wanted to live with my brother, I wasn't that ready to leave the house I had lived for 10 years.
"I loved her like she was my own daughter. When I saw her for the first time, I immediately felt great sympathy for her. It was such a great opportunity to take her in, to see the woman she had become." Andy was saying.
"I understand," Sirius said calmly. "But if you don't want her to leave, it's fine. I could visit her once or twice a week."
Andy suddenly looked at him as I peered over to get a better view.
"Of course I want her to live with you. I want her to he happy, with her brother." Andy said, her voice very sincere and sure.
I smiled gracefully as I dropped to the floor carefully and curled up against the wall, my smile never leaving my lips.