Chapter Five/Visitors
Having split off into our own areas of the house, I only came back downstairs when a loud noise echoed around the house, the voice of Walburga Black screeching and disrupting any peace the house had. I stopped halfway down the stairs, staring amusedly down the hall at what I saw.
"You no good FILTH! How dare you enter my home, along with your mudblood friend! Leave! Disgrace to my family!" Walburga wailed, jumping when a silver knife hit her portrait and nearly knicked the edge of her skirt.
"HOW DARE YOU DAMAGE MY PORTRAIT." Walburga roared as Siri pulled the knife out, staring down her grandmother with a look of distaste as the portrait screeched at her, all but foaming at the mouth.
"Devil-spawn of my devil son! Be gone! Leave me be! Go join your disgrace father, and leave my house!" Walburga bellowed. Siri scowled, walking heel to heel as she got back to the spot where she had first thrown the knife.
"Sure, sure. Shut up, bitch." Siri said darkly, hitting the portrait with the knife again and causing Walburga to let out more shrieks of anger. It caused Hermione to poke her head into the hallway, looking at Siri with raised eyebrow.
"What is she doing?" I asked quietly as I came to stand beside Hermione. She shrugged helplessly, her nose crinkling up in amusement as we watched our friend jerk the knife out of the portrait again.
"What she feels like, I suppose. It's quite fun to watch really, she's been at it for awhile- The tape fell off Walburga's mouth. Honestly, I think some part of Sirius may be possessing her." Hermione mused idly, and I could tell why. With her short hair and faint smirk she looked like her father, the way her shoulders slumped- And then she turned, and the same black spiral I had seen on her neck before was visible again.
"Siri-" I started, trying not to falter when cool gray eyes turned towards me- "What's that, on your neck?" I asked. Siri raised an eyebrow as if puzzled for a moment before her eyes widened, her hand reaching back to her neck.
"Oh, that- The cover from the wedding must've worn off. It's a tattoo." Siri said, rubbing her hand over her neck as if she could physically feel the tattoo on her skin. Hermione's eyebrows had raised high on her forehead.
"You got a tattoo?" She asked in a high voice, and Siri nodded once.
"In Paris."
"What is it?" I asked when Siri seemed content to end the conversation there. I wanted to know. Siri grinned then, her expression faintly sheepish.
"It's in french."
I rolled my eyes at that. "Try me."
She shrugged, then spoke; "Je jure solennellement que mes intentions sont rien de bon."
"How did you fit all that onto your back?" Hermione asked in surprise, looking mildly skeptical. Siri frowned at her.
"It's kind of in a line- Down my spine. It's sideways, so it's readable- Well, it's hard to explain you. I'd have to show you for you to know, and I'm not taking off my shirt, even for you, Hermione." Siri said with a wink tacked onto the end of her sentence. Hermione rolled her eyes, shaking her head in amusement.
"I can't believe you got a tattoo at sixteen."
"It was an early birthday present from Fleur." Siri said, punctating her statement with a well-aimed throw at Walburga Black. I smiled amusedly.
"Fleur gave you a tattoo?" Hermione asked in disbelief. Siri shrugged.
"She didn't say no when I asked."
"Then how come I didn't see any tattoo at the wedding?" Hermione said, and Siri rolled her eyes as she answered yet another question.
"Make up, 'Mione. Special stuff. The only people who know I have it besides you two is Fleur. Remus would kill me if he knew." Siri said, crossing her arms. Obviously she was waiting for Hermione to asked another question. But Hermione seemed content with the information she had been given, lips pursed as she nodded once.
"Well, wow." Hermione said, giving a small shrug before ducking back into the living room and leaving Siri and I to ourselves. We stood in silence for a moment before she spoke, a faint grin appearing on her lips.
"So, tomorrow we invade the ministry. Exciting." She said with false enthusiasm. I smiled back amusedly, watching as she pried the knife once more from the portrait.
"Very."
----
Later in the afternoon I sat in the kitchen with Siri and Ron, watching the two play Wizard's chess. Siri had found the game in a spare room, and since Ron had been beating her at the game, despite Siri's promises that she was 'just going easy on him'.
"What should we do for dinner? I think I could Kreacher to whip up some pasta." Siri was saying when the slam of the front door alerted us to a completely knew presence. And when Hermione's head popped up into the kitchen, a look of alarm on her face, we knew it wasn't any of us.
From where I sat in the kitchen I could see the dust begin to swirl on the carpet, the shape of Dumbledore barely forming when a calm voice spoke, sending it back into the dust.
"I did not kill you, Albus."
"Does that sound like-?" Ron was saying just as Siri scooted back from her chair and ran to the hallway. I followed after quickly, turning the corner just in time to see her embrace her godfather tightly. Lupin looked exhausted, but was smiling at me over his goddaughter's shoulder. When Siri stepped back though I didn't lower my wand, eyeing Lupin carefully.
"In third year, what did you tell me I feared?" I asked, the memory stirring in the back of my mind. Lupin nodded once, thinking back on it.
"I told you that what you fear is fear itself."
"It's him, Potter. Put your wand down." Siri said, though her eyes weren't on me. Instead they were on Lupin, gray eyes narrowed in a scruitinizing way.
"What's got you all upset?" She asked finally, but Lupin only shook his head as we moved into the living room. Lupin took a spot in one of the chairs while Hermione, Ron and I took the couch. Siri perched herself on the arm of the couch, arms crossed in front of her.
"I'll explain later. No sign of Snape, then?" He asked curiously.
"No." I answered shortly. "But what's going on? Is everyone alright?"
"Yes, we're all fine. But we're all being watched. There are a couple of Death Eaters outside-"
"We know-" Ron started, but Remus continued, elbows on his knees and hands clasped in front of him.
"I had to apparate very precisely on the top stair outside the front door to be sure that they wouldn't see me. They can't know you're in here, otherwise I'm sure they would have more people out there, watching; They're stalking out everywhere that's got a connection with you, Harry, Siri. I would've been here days ago but I had to shake off the Death Eaters following me." He explained. "So, you three came straight here after the wedding?
"No." Ron answered, mouth pulled into a faint grimace. "Only after we ran into a pair of death eaters in a café in Tottenham Court Road."
Lupin blinked then, looking alarmed. "What?"
We explained what happened, and both Siri and Lupin were alarmed, sharing looks every so often. Siri was just as surprised to hear our story as Remus was, as she didn't know about our run-in with Death Eaters yet. I suppose all of us had neglected to mention it to her.
"But how on earth did they find you so quickly? It's impossible to track anyone who apparates, unless you grab them as they disappear. They shouldn't have found you at all."
"And it doesn't seem likely they just decided to go for a stroll down Tottenham Court Road at the time." I added with a faint sigh, threading my fingers through my hair. Hermione shifted slightly, lip caught between her teeth.
"We were wondering whether Harry could possibly still have the trace on him?"
"That's impossible." Lupin said instantly, frowning. Ron nodded, a smug look on his face, and I felt hugely relieved. "Apart from anything else, they'd know for sure Harry was here if he still had the trace on him, wouldn't they? But I still can't figure out how they could have tracked you to Tottenham Court Road. That's worrying. Very worrying." Lupin said, sending a worried glance to his goddaughter, who was newly turned seventeen and just as much of a target as I was.
"Well, tell us what happened after we left, we haven't heard a thing since Ron's dad told us the family was safe." Hermione said, brows furrowed.
"Well, Kingsley saved us, really." Lupin said moving his hands as he spoke. "Thanks to his warning most of the wedding guests were able to escape before they arrived."
"Was it Death Eaters or Ministry people?" Hermione asked curiously. Remus shrugged.
"A bit of both, but with all intents and purposes they're the same thing now." He said grimly. "There were maybe a dozen or so, but I don't think they knew you were there, Harry. Arthur heard a rumor that they tried to torture your whereabouts out of Scrimgeor before they killed him. If it's true, he didn't give either of you away."
A brief feeling of shock and admiration welled in me at the idea. I had never really liked the man much, but if what Remus said was true, the man's final act had been to try and protect me.
"The Death Eater's searched the burrow from top to bottom." Remus continued. "They found the ghoul, but didn't want to get too close. And then they interrogated those of us who remained for hours. They were trying to get information on you and Siri, but of course you disappeared without telling anyone you had been there, while Siri escaped soon after.
"At the same time, more Death Eaters were forcing their way into every Order-connected house in the country. No deaths, but they were rough. They burned down Dedalus Diggle's house- Thankfully he wasn't home, and they used the cruciatus curse on Andy and Ted. Tonks's parents." Remus said, looking rather angry for a brief moment. "They're fine. Shaken, obviously, but they'll live."
"How did the Death Eater's get through all those protective charms?" Siri asked, frowning.
"The Death Eaters have got the full might of the Ministry on their side now." Lupin said this casually. "They've got the power to perform brutal spells without fear of identification or arrest. They managed to penetrate every defensive spell we'd cast against them, and once inside, they were completely open about why'd they come."
"And are they bothering to give an excuse for torturing Harry's whereabouts out of people?" Hermione asked, her voice clipped with anger.
"Didn't you know? Wanted for questioning about the death of Albus Dumbledore." Siri answered this time, her voice cold. "Just as they're excuse for wanting me is for questions about my father."
"What? But don't they know he's-" Ron said, not bothering to finish the sentence at a sharp look from both Siri, Remus and I. Siri shook her head.
"As far as they know, Sirius Black is still out there, and I'm his number one accomplice now. Forgetting, of course, the fact that I was thirteen when he escaped." She said, a smile pulling at her lips as she spoke. The fact that her father was the only person in wizarding history to escape from Azkaban on his own was something that she was proud of.
"Many mistakes and wrong doings have been happened, all connected to the ministry as of late. Muggleborns are being rounded up, accused of stealing magic. Werewolves are once again being heavily discriminated against, while you and Siri are the Ministry of Magic's most wanted." Lupin said, hesitating slightly before speaking. "I'll understand if you can't confirm this, but the Order is under the impression that Dumbledore left both you and Siri a mission."
"He did." Siri and I said at the same time, though when I spoke again I spoke alone. "And Ron and Hermione are in on it, and they're coming with me."
"And you, Siri?" Remus asked, looking towards his goddaughter. Siri sighed, hanging drooping slightly.
"Dumbledore's last words to me is that I must do this alone." She said with a scowl. Lupin nodded though he didn't look very pleased, and I was sure he muttered something under his breath like, "Crackpot old headmaster." The muttering was quickly overtaken by another question though.
"Can either of you confide in me what this mission is?" He asked quietly, and as I looked at the face of Remus Lupin, I wished desperately that I could give a different answer.
"I can't, Remus, I'm sorry."
"I want to Moony, but I can't either." Siri said, looking like she wanted to tell him, her eyes sad as she spoke. Remus nodded.
"I thought you'd say that." Remus sighed, his nod short. "But I still might be of some use to either of you. You know what I am and what I can do. I could come with you to provide protection. There would be no need to tell me exactly what you're up to."
I hesitated. It was a hugely tempting offer, though how we would be able to keep the mission secret from Lupin if he were with them all the time would be difficult. Hermione however, looked puzzled.
"What about Tonks, though?" She asked.
"What about her?" Lupin said.
"Well, you just got married! How does she feel about you going away, with any of us?" She asked, and Siri nodded in agreement with the question, staring at her godfather, searching his face as if he were to give some secret away.
"Tonks will be perfectly safe." Said Lupin. "She's with her mother and father at their house."
Lupin's voice was slightly strangled, almost cold. There was something odd though, at the idea of Tonks being at her parent's house. Tonks was an order member and an auror, an enthusiastic one at that. She'd want to be part of the action. Siri seemed to realize this too, and frowned.
"What's up?" Siri asked, and before Lupin could answer she added, "And don't lie."
Lupin hesitated a moment before answering.
"Tonks is pregnant." He said glumly, and Hermione smiled brightly.
"That's wonderful!" She said, and Siri nodded, though her expression never changed as she looked at her godfather. She looked cautious, and slightly worried.
"Spit it out." She said after a moment, and Remus sighed before speaking, head hanging.
"I made a mistake. I should never have married Dora- she's young and bright, everything I'm not, and now she's pregnant, with some thing. What if it's like me?" Remus asked, and Siri rolled her eyes.
"What if? You know the werewolf gene can't be passed down unless both parents are werewolves."
"But that has never been tested! It could be wrong." Remus said before changing the subject, and very obviously. "I've come to help you."
"Really?" I asked, and Remus nodded, so I spoke again, my tone high when I tried to force myself to be casual. "What about Tonks?"
"She's with her mother, she'll be fine."
"No, I don't think she will." Siri said cooly, and Remus looked at her in surprise.
"What?"
"So you wanna come help us... but not your wife who's pregnant with your kid, who may or may not be like you? I don't know, but that seems a bit sad to me." Siri said quietly, and Lupin's eyes flashed. I knew what she was onto though.
"She's right. You should be with Tonks, not with us." I agreed.
"Dora is fine. She's better off without me anyways." Lupin said in a clipped tone. I raised an eyebrow.
"Does Tonks think that?" I questioned. "Because I don't."
"Harry, Siri, I'm sure your father's would want me to go with you."
"No, I don't think so. I think he'd be wondering why you don't want to be with your own kid, actually."
"Dad would say the same. I knew him well enough that I know that. He'd want you to be with Tonks and your kid as much as you can while you can. You never know what'll happen. " Siri said quietly, gray eyes lowered to the ground. Her voice was soft, but a sharp edge of bitterness tainted the air. But Lupin didn't say anything, and anger flared up inside my chest.
"You're actually acting like a coward. Too scared to go and help his wife-" I said, oblivious at the moment to the way Lupin's face twisted- "It's pathetic."
Then there was a bang, and I found myself pushed back on the couch, the air gone from my lungs. Remus had risen from the couch and left the room, the tail of his robe just fluttering out of sight when I could see properly. Hermione had let out a cry, watching from the hallway as the door slammed shut. Even Ron seemed a little stunned. But my attention was drawn to Siri, the way her head was cradled in her hands.
"Siri?" I asked quietly, reaching over and touching her shoulder. Her head snapped up at the contact, her smile sad but reassuring.
"I'm fine, Harry. I'm just sad to have upset him like that." She said quietly, resting her chin on her hands. Hermione, her attention back to us, seemed to agree.
"You shouldn't have said those things." She said with a frown. I turned to her, a faint frown on my face.
"Maybe. But if he goes back to Tonks, then it'll be worth it, right?" I asked. Siri nodded quickly from beside me, letting out a deep breath.
"No parent should leave their kid unless they have to." She said simply. Hermione sighed, still looking rather upset while Ron sort of spasmed in what looked a bit like a hidden nod of approval.
"I still say you were a bit harsh." Was all Hermione said, taking the seat Remus had abandoned. I shook my head though, rather sure of the words I had spoken.
"Siri's right. Our parents didn't leave is because they wanted to, not really. Mine died protecting me, Sirius died protecting us, Siri's mother-" I stopped there, unsure exactly how Siri's mother had left her daughter behind. I regretted bringing it up though after catching Siri's expression. It had become solemn.
"She died protecting me, too." She volunteered quietly. I nodded briskly, watching as Siri slid from the arm of the couch.
"I'm sorry." I said, even knowing how little it would help.
"Don't be. It was forever ago- Nothing you can do." Siri said with a faint shrug. She slipped from the room then, and I could hear her steps as she made her way upstairs. Hermione watched her go, brown eyes sad. Ron shifted slightly, elbows resting on his knees.
"I never really thought about Siri's mum." He said after a moment. I nodded in agreement. Hermione looked miserable, obviously upset at the idea.
"It's because Siri doesn't like talking about her. I don't know much about it- But from what can I understand, it wasn't a short death."
"Thanks for that, Mione." I said quietly, rising from the couch. Hermione looked at me helplessly, giving a weak shrug as I left the room. My feet carried me up the stairs, walking towards the room I knew where Siri would be. Her bedroom door was just slightly open, and I didn't bother with knocking as I stepped inside. She was curled up ontop her bed, picking at the blue fabric of her coverlet.
"I figured you may show up." She said without glancing up. I only shrugged.
"Figured you may want me too."
"Impeccable senses you have, Potter." She grinned faintly then, looking up at me. "Sit down, will you? It's a little weird when you just hover like that."
"I do not hover." I said even as I moved forward, sitting down at the end of the bed. She rolled her eyes, moving to sit up slightly.
"You do. Just a little." She said, watching me for a moment before the grin slid off her face and she let her head fall back against the pillow. She sighed then, before we both fell into a silence that I suppose one could call comfortable. While I didn't have the overwhelming urge to say something, part of me thought I should. But before I could get any words out Siri spoke, her eyes remaining on the ceiling.
"My mother," She began after a moment, "Was only eighteen when she had me. Really young- I mean, our parents were all young, but mum was the youngest. She and dad, well- I wasn't a planned baby. I don't think any baby is planned when there's a war going on." She said faintly. "Anyway, for a year we had this realy nice flat, pretty cozy- As a baby, my bedroom was no bigger than your old cupboard. But it was good."
"You don't have to tell me this." I said quietly. Siri shook her head though, brows furrowed.
"No, no. It's good to talk. And you should know. Anyway, we had that year. I think- The memory is a bit fuzzy, but dad confirmed it for me- My mum used to sing to me in French. She was French- Though I think I've mentioned that. But she knew all these old songs. I can't remember them now, but I wish I did. I only remember the melody of one... She sang it to me the night she died." Siri's voice wavered now, and it was difficult to not move closer, to take the hand that was closest to mind. But I let her continue. "This was after your parents- After you'd been taken to the Dursleys, after dad was taken... She was on her own, my mum. She had Remus of course, but with the war closing in it wasn't too good for werewolves. He had to keep distance for awhile. Our house was already under watch. But now just by the Ministry. Fat lot they did, though." Siri smiled now, bitterly. And this time I didn't hesitate to reach forward, ignoring the awkward angle it put my back in to take her hand. She breathed deeply then, her hand gently squeezing mine.
"Yeah, so- Death Eaters got in. And you see, when James died- Well, he was our secret keeper. But after that, everyone who knew where we were, who knew what house we were in- They were the new secret keepers. And that included the rat. So a couple days later Death Eaters broke in. And mum- She sang to me, to keep me quiet as she hid me in the closet. I don't know what charm she used- I was too young to remember, and too dumb to not ask the Ministry about it later- but she saved me. Not herself. They found her- And they tortured her." Siri said quietly, her voice turning mournful. "Til there was nearly nothing left. Just a shell. Broken. They found her tied to a chair, screaming and crying and laughing. Ministry ruled that it was the Death Eater's revenge for throwing dad in Azkaban, thought that they were angry for gettign rid of you-know-who's 'most loyal' supporter. She died later on, when I was seven. She just- Her body gave out. She could only take so much."
"Siri." I said quietly, heart aching for her. "I'm so sorry."
"It's okay. I mean- It's not, but what can I do? She's gone. Dad's gone. I've angered Remus." Siri let out a laugh, bitter and humorless sounding. "There's really not anybody left."
"There's me. There's Hermione, and Ron." I said quietly, thumb stroking over the back of her hand. "There's Ginny, and Fred and George, and Neville, and Tonks. Remus'll come around."
"If I ever see him again." Siri said glumly, and I frowned at her. She was staring up at the ceiling, her expression passive, nonchalant. It both angered and saddened me. But I knew pressing about it would be pointless. She had resigned herself- As much as I continued to have hope in her. With a sigh I moved forward, turning to rest my back against the pillows as I settled in next to her. Siri raised an eyebrow.
"Harry, what're you-"
"Comforting you. You need it, obviously, even if you won't admit." I said with an air of nonchalance, letting my arm rest around her shoulders. Siri frowned but didn't pull away- She moved closer even, curling up next to me and tucking her head on my shoulder.
"You're too good a person, Harry." She said with a sigh, and I rolled my eyes.
"So are you."
"Hm."
We stayed curled like that for an hour or two- I wasn't sure. The wrist with the watch on it was trapped by Siri, and I had no wish to stare at the clock anyway. Instead I closed my eyes, enjoying the peaceful moment and enjoiyng the feeling of the girl in my arms, her breath quiet and slow.
I enjoyed the peace.
_
Siri, it seemed, had enjoyed a nap.
She only waken when there was a crash from downstairs, one that startled us both and sent us sprawling out of the bed.
"What was that?" I asked in alarm, right as there was a loud cry from downstairs.
"MISTRESS!" Kreacher's voice shrieked, and more sounds of a scuffle from what I supposed what the kitchen. Siri was grinning now, barely sparing me a glance before she was out the door. I followed after quickly, running after her down the stairs and into the kitchen. What I saw surprised me, and I stood in the doorway with raised eyebrows as Siri marched forward.
"Thank you, Kreacher." She chimed at the house elf before turning on the cowering figure in the corner of the kitchen.
"B-Black! W-what are y-y-you doing here?" Mundungus Fletcher's voice stuttered fretfully, and at this point Ron and Hermione had joined me in the doorway, both look equally startled. Siri was staring at Fletcher with narrowed eyes, hands placed on her hips.
"As it's my house, I think I should be able to live here without people asking questions." Siri said shrewedly, and Mundungus flinched under her gaze, looking as though he'd really rather be anywhere else.
"W-h-hat do you need little o-old me for, eh?"
"Oh, I think you know." Siri leant forward as she said it, seemingly towering over the smaller Mundungus. Mundungus looked like he about to lie when Siri stepped forward again, reaching for her wand when Mundungus broke.
"Alright! Alright! I t-took the goblets! The b-bloody goblets and silverware, along with the family ring!"
"Give it." Siri demanded quickly, and Mundungus didn't hesitate to reach into a pouch attached to his trousers, fumbling in it for a moment before he pulled a silver ring out, thrusting it into Siri's outstretched hand.
"I s-sold the goblets though!" Mundungus whimpered and Siri nodded, studying the ring before slipping it onto her left hand, fingers flexing as she looked back up to Mundungus.
"That's fine. But here's a little thing, and listen up." She hummed coolly. Mundungus nodded eagerly.
"Whatever you say, Black!"
"Good. First, you steal from me, my house, or my family again, and I'll hex your sorry arse into oblivion. Second, you don't come into this house unless it's an Order meeting. Period. Third, go now before I change my mind and hex you where you stand. Leave!" Siri snapped, and Mundungus nodded, bowing low before he hobbled away towards the front door.
"And I'll know if you take anything else!" Siri yelled after him darkly, just as the door slammed. "Scum."
"You didn't have to threaten him like that, did you?" Hermione asked, nose crinkled up slightly. Siri turned to her with a shrug, fingers playing with the newly acquired ring on her finger.
"If I didn't, the message wouldn't have come across properly." She said indifferently, and I grinned at her.
"Well, I think you scared him into the next year." I stated, and Siri grinned back at me, gray eyes flashing happily.
"Of course I did! I'm a very scary person, you know."
"Very scary." I added.
"Terrifying." Ron agreed seriously before he left the room. Siri laughed happily, following after him- But not before she grabbed my hand and took me with her.
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YOU GUYS ARE SO AWESOMELY PATIENT. Thanks for that. I know I'm super slow about updating this story, but the editing to be done is insane.
You guys are all amazing, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Luv ya,
-Lily