Cordelia stood outside the Number 12 Grimmauld Place, as the house slowly presented itself.
Remus Lupin, her guardian had filled her in a little about the Order and how he was there when not at home.
She was handed a small slip with the address written on it. But it wasn't Remus' handwriting.
Cordelia didn't know what to say, she was upset that Remus didn't tell her anything before and how Hermione Granger and the Weasley's were occupying the place, while she wasn't even informed.
She had cursed Dumbledore and Remus had to apologise almost constantly for a whole day.
"Let's go in. Don't touch anything though" Remus kept his hand on her back and lightly pushed her towards towards door. Where when tapped his wand.
Cordelia had foggy memories running through her mind.
She could picture her grandmother and the elf Kreature walking around the corridors.
Stepping inside quietly as Remus closed the door after him, she felt deja vu pass through her.
The ceilings were as high as they had been, but the house felt different. Dark.
It could be because of the dim gas lamp or the peeling paint. The knobs and handles were as they used to be, only now a little rusty.
They passed a moth eaten curtain.
"What's-" but she was quickly cut off by Remus shushing her and guiding her forward.
Remus led Lia to the dinning room, where the huge ginger family was along with a few members of the Order and Sirius. Everyone eating their lunch.
"Umph Remus" Sirius smiled upon seeing the tall man, his mouth stuffed with chicken.
"Sirius chew your food please" Remus sighed and walked in.
As Remus walked in, everyone saw Cordelia standing by the door.
Sirius felt as if someone had punched him in the gut. The last time he had seen the girl, she was bloody and bruised but now as she stood, in her black skirt and black top he felt as if he was seeing his younger brother all over again.
Only now feminine and young.
"What is she doing here!" Ronald Weasley screeched when he saw the dark haired girl.
"Ron" Molly warned, and turned to Lia with a smile that felt very unwelcoming, "Come in dear, do you want me to fix you a plate?"
"No, we had lunch before we arrived" Remus spoke on Lia's behalf.
Lia looked around the kitchen as everyone continued with their lunch.
It looked so different.
"I'm Sirius Black"
Sirius introduced himself after Remus nudged him.
"Cordelia Black" she shook his hand.
It felt weird, how formal they were.
"You really do look like him" Sirius whispered but Lia, heard him.
"I know, thank you"
Lia looked at the unknown Weasleys'.
"I'm Bill Weasley" a tall man, with long hair and a piercing dangling from his ear spoke up.
"Cordelia Black" she smiled.
Lia looked towards the door, not seeing someone she hoped to be seeing.
"You want to look around?" Remus questioned.
Lia nodded.
The two walked out, as everyone was finishing up with their lunch.
Lia was a bit shy when meeting new people and there were quite a few.
"It looks dirty" she mumbled as she walked into the living room.
"It is, no one had come here in the last decade" Remus informed Lia.
"Tell me you didn't miss the looks the woman was giving me" Lia whispered to Remus.
"I didn't" Remus sighed.
Dumbledore was the one to bring up the topic about Cordelia moving to 12 Grimmauld Place.
"But we can't trust her" Ronald Weasley said as he heard the discussion from the stairs, all his siblings with Hermione standing there as well.
"Now, let's not forget that she was the one who risked her life by going after Barty. She could've chosen to stay quite but she tried to help. Which ended up with her being in St.Mungo's for weeks" Remus said out loud.
Starling a few people, who hadn't expected Remus to get angry, ever.
"It's how it used to be, well a bit dirty but not much has changed" Lia said as her eyes found the tapestry that hung on the wall.
THE MOST NOBLE AND ANCIENT HOUSE OF BLACK
"TOUJOURS PUR"
Walking towards it, she saw the black dots, that meant that someone had been blasted off the tree. Disowned.
Her name was the last at the tapestry at the moment.
There was a golden line connecting Regulus Black and Juliet Dallarosa, moving down it read Cordelia Black.
"Is that...?" Remus inquired.
"The Black family tree" Lia and another cold voice said together.
Turning around, she saw Sirius standing beside Remus, his arms folded in front of him.
Before any of the three could speak, they saw Hermione Granger entering the room, "Have you seen Kreature around?"
Her question surprised Lia, who gasped softly, "He's still alive?" She looked at Remus, who nodded slowly.
"The meeting would be starting in half an hour" came Arthur Weasley's voice.
Lia looked very different, her garments made her stand out from the others who were wearing either muggle clothing or not dressed as formally as herself.
Even Remus was only in his pants, shirt and a nice grey cardigan.
"You can see around, if you want" Sirius' voice was low as he spoke to Lia.
Who nodded curtly.
"I can't be a part of the meeting?" Lia questioned Remus softly, as the others left the room.
"No" was his instant reply.
"Oh, c'mon it's happening in practically my house" she said pointing towards the tree where Sirius' face was blasted off off it, but not hers.
This made Sirius scoff.
"Go on look around, choose a room if there's any left maybe?" Remus directed the last part towards his short handsome man.
"There are...." he shrugged.
Lia caught a sight of Snape who was moving towards the kitchen.
Snape glared dangerously at Lia, who have him a wicked smirk.
"Professor what are you doing here? I thought I saw you at the Malfoy Manor only last week"
Whatever Snape had to say, he held back, gritting his teeth, "What is she doing here" he snarled at Remus.
"Dumbledore knows" was Remus' short reply.
Snape glared at Lia, one more time before walking into the kitchen and standing by the dinning table.
"What is he doing here?" Lia voiced her question before she could stop herself.
"He's a part of the Order, now go" Remus left no room for any arguments.
Rolling her eyes, Lia walked towards the stairs.
The head of the house elves, had always been creepy to her. They were creepy at the moment as well.
Walking to the first floor, she heard hushed voices.
"I heard her ask if she could be a part of the meeting" it was definitely the youngest Weasley.
"Funny how Dumbledore had told Remus not to bring her at all because he father was a death eater. Can't trust her really, can we? Slimy git like Snape."
"Ron!" Hissed Granger.
Lia frowned upon hearing these words.
"Don't mind them" came one of the twin's voice, as Lia moved another step up.
"I could care less" her voice was cold and sharp.
Going up to the top floor, she found two rooms.
Just as I remembered.
One of the two rooms was her dad's. The other belonged to Sirius.
Lia gulped slightly before opening the door to her dad's room.
The door had his name on it.
Regulus Arcturus Black
Pushing the door open slowly, she saw the room. It hadn't changed the slightest bit. It was still as messy as it had been, even more dirty.
Walburga, her grandmother, as a child forbade her from ever going into the room. But that didn't stop Lia from peaking inside the room.
Lia could see her younger self running away after peaking inside the room, she didn't necessarily want to get caught.
But now, no one was stopping her from looking inside the room, as much as she wanted.
The walls had posters and cuttings, which were hard to read due to them being so old.
Lia didn't step inside the room, only stared at it from the door.
Sighing she closed the door, leaning against it.
"Why dad why...." she whispered painfully to herself.
Moving one floor down, she walked towards a room. A small grin making its way on her face.
Upon opening one of the three rooms that were on that floor, she was greeted by the sight of her old room.
It was the same, but only a bit faded.
A thick blanket of dust covered everything, the walls were faded, but her small bed and toys lay scattered and some on the bed as she remembered them to be.
Moving in, she picked up the photo frame, which had a moving picture of her.
Two to three year old Lia was dressed in a black frock, with a black hair band adoring her head. A grin on her face as she waved up at whoever had clicked the picture but it wasn't only her, Narcissa was in the picture too smiling at the baby in her hands.
The frame was made of pure silver, emerald gem stones adoring it.
"Don't remember that.... " Lia chuckled softly to herself as she picked up the frame.
Lia took the picture with herself, walking down the steps.
Lia walked into a room, she remembered her grandmother disappearing into quite often.
The door was jammed. But Lia figured what it was behind the door.
The library!
When Lia was young, she used to know the office as the library, for Walburga would give her a book from there.
So in her three year old opinion, a book came from a library which is why it was- the library.
Lia felt nostalgic. A small smile permanently etched on her face.
People started moving out from the dinning room.
Dumbledore saw Lia standing by the living room, "Miss.Black, I hope you are well" his demeanour was as it used to be.
"Very well" she drawled in a cold voice.
Dumbledore's eyes lingered on the photo frame in her hand before he moved out, followed by Snape and a few others.
"Dinner would be ready in an hour" came a girls voice.
She had bubblegum hair, a jacket and pants she had seen every muggle wearing.
"I'm Dora" she held out her hand.
Lia slowly placed her hand in hers, when Sirius' voice came from behind her.
"You mean Nymphadora Tonks" he chuckled when her hair turned red.
"Niece meet niece" he added with a small laugh.
But it made Lia quickly pull her hand back to herself.
"Andromeda is your..."
"Mother and Ted Tonks my father. A problem?" Nymphadora quizzed, crossing her hands over her chest, while Sirius squinted his eyes at Lia.
"No" Lia replied, stepping back into the living room.
The frame behind her.
Remus came into the picture when he cleared his throat.
"Is there a problem?" He looked at the three.
"No, only that your child was quick to snatch her hand back when she learned that Dora is Andromeda's daughter" Sirius added.
"It's not like that" Lia quickly defended herself.
"So you're Cordelia" Nymphadora trailed off.
"I can assure you two, it's nothing against your mother or father. It's just.... Lia here is close with Narcissa...."
Remus didn't need to go into a detailed explanation. The few lines were enough for Nymphadora to understand why the girl snatched her hand back to herself.
"And I thought that you didn't find me pretty enough" the bubblegum haired girl pouted, looking suggestively at Lia.
"I don't swing that way" Lia said her face red.
This made the three burst out laughing.
"Merlin, she's funny" Sirius chuckled.
"Dinner will be ready in an hour" Remus informed Lia.
"But we're not having dinner here right?"
"Moony" Sirius almost whined.
"I- I was thinking we could.... " Remus said nervously.
"I" Lia looked from Sirius to Remus, "I'm not hungry. But you can eat... here"
They moved to the living room.
"What's that?" Tonks questioned gesturing towards the frame.
"Oh..." Lia blushed, before turning to Remus with a small smile, "I found this in my room, look" she held out the frame for him to take.
The three elders scanned the moving picture.
"You were cute" Tonks gushed.
"So that is actually your room?" Sirius questioned returning to his seat beside Remus.
"Yes" Lia smiled.
"And I wondered who the toys belonged too" he chuckled.
"It completely slipped my mind that you had your own room here" Remus scolded himself.
"Of course. It's the same" Lia grinned.
"You lived here? But didn't your grandfather raise you?"
"I lived with grandmother until I was almost five. When she died, then only did grandfather take me with him"
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Long chapter phew...