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"ATHENA WHAT IS GOING ON?" Remus asked, nearing anger and exasperation as he turned to her in the kitchen of twelve Grimmauld Place and stared at her in a mix of worry and fear.
"I'm so sorry" Athena sighed, running her hands over her face and allowing the anxiety of everything fade away as she realised they'd made it. The ministry couldn't reach them at the safe house that they didn't know existed. For now everything was fine.
"Sorry about what?" Remus asked again, clearer this time.
The door behind them crashed open and Sirius came striding into the room dressed in a white bathrobe with what looked like a face mask over his skin.
Sirius stopped still as a statue staring at Remus and Athena. The couple did the same, blinking at one another unable to know what to say.
"I'm going to come back in five minutes and we're going to pretend this never happened" Sirius said slowly as he backed out of the room and closed the door behind him.
Athena wanted to laugh but she could feel Remus' hands shaking slightly under hers. Of course he had every right to be scared. Athena had shown up and ripped him away from his home with her own fear powering adrenaline to get them as far away from that house as possible.
"That didn't happen" Remus frowned at the door, "yet I'm never going to forget seeing that"
"Remus, the ministry are trying to have me arrested" Athena stated calmly.
"They what?" Remus shouted in shock.
"I thought Umbridge was trying to get me fired ever since Dumbledore left but... she cornered me today with Fudge, some auror's and everyone in Hogwarts and told me that I was being sent to Azkaban"
"Why the hell... they can't arrest you just because they don't like you"
"Fudge seems to think he's been deceived all along, that I've always been an accomplice to Sirius, that I helped him escape and that I am just as bad and as wanted as the proclaimed 'mass murderer'"
Remus didn't say anything at first. He looked to the ceiling in what appeared to be anger, letting this new information wash over him as though trying to figure out everything in a matter of seconds. This was impossible, Athena knew because she'd been trying to figure out everything for the past twenty minutes and still nothing was making sense.
"So we're on the run" Remus concluded, "because our minister for magic is a deluded psycho, well I am very optimistic about the state of this county and it's leadership"
"Right what did I miss?" Asked Sirius, striding into the room now dressed appropriately for guests with only a small line of green mask still present on his face. He'd obviously washed it off as quickly as he could, red marks now appearing on his cheeks.
"Athena is a wanted convict!" Remus said in cheerful sarcasm to mask an emotion that Athena was yet to figure out.
"Join the club!" Sirius matched Remus' jovial tone, "but honestly, what's going on?"
"He wasn't joking" Athena muttered, now taking a much needed seat in one of the chairs around the large kitchen table.
"What?" Sirius frowned, "you're actually a wanted convict, sorry last time I checked you were a trustworthy professor at the best school in the country so what the hell has happened?"
"They think I'm your accomplice" Athena scoffed as she looked at Sirius, "they think I helped you escape and that I've always been your partner in crime and they were too deceived by my amazing acting skills to see the true madness before"
"This is Fudge we're taking about?" Sirius asked, taking another seat, "surely he wouldn't be this ridiculous. The country is in uproar about more important things than you annoying them"
"I think he's actually deluded" Athena replied, "maybe Umbridge got into his head about it all, she hates me more than anyone else I know. I knew she wanted me fired, told me so herself and after Dumbledore was forced out I knew there was no hope for my job but I didn't think they'd try to paint me as a criminal and have me arrested in the entrance hall of the school I've worked at for fourteen years"
"They got to you at Hogwarts?" Remus asked, taking the seat next to her, "how did you get away?"
"Remember in the first war when I used to... absorb spells without using a wand?"
"How could we forget?" Sirius laughed loudly, "the feeling of joy I felt every time a death eater tried to jinx you. Athena you were our secret weapon it was incredible"
"Yeah well turns out I can still do that... and now every student at Hogwarts knows"
"Why does that matter?" Asked Sirius, "they probably just think you're cool"
"Maybe some of them, others will see it as unknown magic... probably dark magic. None will understand that it's all connected to a prophecy... what if they believe the lies the ministry are telling... I might never come back from this"
"You will" Sirius stated immediately but Athena looked to Remus who seemed less sure.
"Until the ministry admit that Voldemort is back and all this commotion is not being caused by Sirius, I'm wanted for... a lot of terrible stuff and that's all the students are going to hear about. No doubt Rita Skeeter will have a field day—"
"Let's not worry about that now" Remus interrupted, "this won't last, sooner or later it will be impossible to deny that Voldemort has returned and Fudge will be forced to realise you always had good intentions...the best"
"I've left Harry" Athena mumbled, "the last thing Dumbledore told me was to stay out of trouble so I could stay at the school for Harry. Not just Harry... all the students... if they need my help I'm there and now—"
"There's many other teachers there who won't hesitate to do the same" Remus assured her, "you can't put all this pressure on yourself. I know you have provided a great deal to Hogwarts but it won't crumble without you there. So much work goes into making it a great place, that includes the work of the other teachers"
"I know" Athena muttered, "I just feel that Umbridge is doing her best to eradicate all the hope left in that castle"
"You're staying here then?" Sirius asked casually. Athena saw a flash of hope dance over his eyes. She wasn't surprised. Sirius' only company was Theodore, Buckbeak and Kreacher. Athena really liked Theodore but she understood he often wasn't the best company considering silence was his favourite sound.
"We both are" Athena nodded, "I'm so sorry Remus, this is my fault—"
"Don't be ridiculous" Remus shook his head, "I'd be here with you even if I didn't have to be"
Athena smiled lightly as he took her hand. Sirius stared at the two of them awkwardly for a moment before he jumped up, the smile on his face returned. Athena liked seeing him like this again. It reminded her of when they had been young and Sirius was the life of the party. Of course back then, James was always by his side but Athena tried not to consider that as Sirius reached for some bottles of butterbeer.
"Let's celebrate!"
"Yes let's celebrate that I'm now a wanted felon" Athena said dryly.
"You're a what?" Came another voice.
Theodore strode into the kitchen, book in hand his hair looking longer than ever. Athena couldn't help but notice he was looking tired again. His health had improved since living at Grimmauld place and being out of Azkaban but Athena could now see that this was just another form of being locked up again which wasn't good for either of them.
"Athena is wanted by the ministry for being my accomplice" Sirius stated casually, "would you like a butterbeer?"
"No thanks" Theodore grimaced, "the ministry want you arrested?"
"Yes so now I'm in hiding" Athena sighed, it still hadn't really sunk in. Some part of her felt as though she'd be leaving Grimmauld place in a few hours.
"I'm so sorry" Theodore frowned, "I know the ministry have been idiots lately but this—"
"Remus and Athena will be staying here" Sirius continued, looking a bit too happy about the situation.
"Great" Theodore smiled as enthusiastically as he could (which wasn't very enthusiastic).
"It's not as bad as you think Rena" Sirius continued, "me and Theo have been here for months now and look at us! We're doing great"
Athena looked between the man who was obviously faking happiness to hide the fact that all his hope of being a free man had disappeared and the other who looked as though he hadn't seen sunlight in years, not even pretending that emotions came regularly as he struggled with the lies that he'd been burdened with.
"Yeah... great" Athena nodded slowly.
"So tell me" Sirius continued, sliding the butterbeer towards Remus and Athena, "what did Umbridge say when you absorbed all their spells, did she scream?"
"She screamed when I hit her with them" Athena mused, "up until them she was just crying out idiocy 'what sorcery is this?'" Athena mimicked causing Sirius to laugh loudly.
"Brilliant" he nodded, "that'll go down in Hogwarts history I bet you, the students won't be forgetting you in a hurry. Also because I doubt any teacher has ever been accused of being a mass murders partner before"
"You're not a mass murderer Sirius" Athena replied in a bored tone.
"Well they think I am" Sirius shrugged, "how did you get out?"
"Rode a thestral out of the grounds... it was quite amazing actually" Athena felt a small smile creep over her lips, "all the students ran out... they were cheering and I sent some stars flying from my wand... I'll never forget it"
Sirius looked more impressed than ever and even Remus seemed cheered by this image. Theodore looked as though he'd stopped paying attention as he continued to read his book.
"Incredible" Sirius beamed, "I'm glad you're staying here. There's plenty of room... Theodore stays in Regulus' room and you can have the spare room. You don't want to be in my parents room I'm pretty sure they both died in there"
"Thanks Sirius" Athena cut him off before he could go raving about his parents death again.
"No problem" he smiled, "mind, I don't want any funny business"
"Funny business?" Remus frowned, evidently oblivious to what Sirius was implying.
"Yes, it's a big house but the beds are old which means they make this really loud creaking sound with movement and the walls have grown thin—"
"Yes thank you Sirius—" Athena interrupted loudly. Remus (realising what Sirius was on about) almost choked on his butterbeer and Theodore (who evidently had been paying attention) stifled a laugh.
"I'm just saying" Sirius raised his hands in defence, "I don't want to be awoken in the night hearing the sound of—"
"Yes we get it" Athena interrupted again, feeling herself grow red as she took another much needed swig of butterbeer.
"Anyway, I'm going to turn in" Sirius yawned, downing his bottle, "I have a good sleep schedule going at the moment, does wonders for the skin"
"Yes that and your muggle face masks" Theodore laughed, "speaking of which, you missed a spot"
Theodore referenced Sirius' temple where there was indeed still a smudge of green. Sirius flushed pink and rubbed aggressively, jumping to his feet.
"Goodnight all!" He called, pretending nothing had happened before he shut the kitchen door quickly behind him.
"I put a charm on his face mask" Theodore said casually as he turned another page in his book, "tomorrow his skin will be bright green. Serves him right for saying Slytherin were the worst house"
"Maybe staying here won't be so bad after all" Athena laughed loudly, already excited to see the look on Sirius' face the following morning.
☽☽☽
A/n
Words - 2009
Published - 5th August 2021
Kennedy used to be
my favourite character
that I created and while
I love her I think Theodore
may have to take the crown