Over the next few weeks Sophie found herself looking over her shoulder constantly. The thought that Voldemort had a reason to want her dead was terrifying. She began to find it difficult to sleep and only got a few hours to rest each night. After she'd told Storm, Lily and Peter everything that they'd found out they'd all become just as paranoid as she was. Sirius almost never left her side and their entire group now tried to actively avoid the Slytherins instead of antagonizing them.
Dumbledore had reported the four Slytherins to the ministry as potential death eaters and an Auror had come to school later that week to interrogate the Slytherins. However, with no evidence against them, and Malfoys father making a rather large donation to a charity, the Slytherins were found to be innocent.
Despite this Dumbledore had now instituted a school wide curfew and tightened the security, having all mail checked before entering and increasing the teachers nightly patrols.
Every time Sophie saw Regulus or any of the other Slytherins she felt her heart drop to her feet. Stella was still wandering around clinging to Alexander Gray and was still yet to speak to any of them. Lily told them that she'd tried to speak to Stella once when she was with Snape and they ran into the other Slytherins but Stella had completely blanked Lily as if she didn't exist.
She spent most of her time in the Gryffindor common room now as it was now the safest place in the castle. She and Sirius were in the middle of a game of wizard chess in the common room one Friday evening. It was late at night so the common room was empty, Sophie and Sirius were waiting for James, Remus and Peter to return. The three boys stayed out late most nights now, they didn't like to talk about where they went
Sirius's knight had just smashed her queen over the head with his sword when James, Remus and Peter came running back into the common room. All three of them were very out of breath and giggling furiously.
"We almost got caught by Henrys" Remus explained, as the three boys tried to sit down. James was busy stuffing his invisibility cloak into the pocket of his robes.
Sophie reached out and grabbed the edge of the soft fabric and pulled it out. She examined the fabric looking at how thin it was and the small detailed patterns dotted throughout the cloak.
"Where did you get it?", Sophie asked, running her hands along the fabric.
"It was a gift", James told her, "want to try it out?"
Sophie stood up and threw the cloak over herself, making sure to fully cover her feet. When she was under the cloak. She then walked over to a mirror in the corner of the common room and gasped at her own lack of reflection. The common room was reflected perfectly behind her, and there was absolutely no evidence that she was standing there.
"It's pretty cool isn't it", Sirius said.
She took of the cloak and handed it back to James who stuffed it into his pocket.
"Where were you guys?", She asked, sitting back down on the couch.
"Well-" Remus started.
"It doesn't matter", Sirius said, "it's your turn Soph."
"What does that mean?", Sophie asked, "where were you guys?"
"We were trying to get into the Slytherin common room", Peter told her.
"What?"
Sirius sent Peter a deadly glare.
"She should know", Peter glared back at Sirius, "everyone else does."
"Everyone else, isn't a target of Voldemort's", Sirius replied through gritted teeth.
"What's going on?", Sophie asked looking at the four boys, "why have you been trying to get into the Slytherin common room?"
"Because we've been trying to find out when the death eaters are going to attack the school", Remus told her, "but we haven't been able to get in, we think the Slytherins know to keep their common room door to closed for us to slip through."
"But we have learned something", James added, "Stella hasn't been sleeping in the Slytherin common room."
"But then where is she? She hasn't been back to the common room in months."
"We don't know", James replied, "every time she comes back to the common room door with Gray she says goodnight at the door and leaves. We were going to follow her tonight but she was walking to fast and we were worried someone might see us under the cloak."
"Maybe I could come with you guys tomorrow", Sophie suggested, "so we could find out where she's staying."
"No", Sirius said sternly, "there is no way your going anywhere near the Slytherin common room."
"I'll be under the cloak Sirius -"
"I don't care", Sirius stood up, "Sophie, they are trying to kill you. Don't you understand that? The death eaters are going to attack Hogwarts and it's probably so that they can either capture or kill you. So, I'm not going to make it easier for them by letting you wait around outside their door. This is exactly why I didn't want you to know!"
Sophies mouth opened and closed as she tried to think of something to say. Sirius was right. She was now a target of Voldemort's and she needed to stay as far away as possible from anyone connected to him.
"Go to bed Soph", James said, placing a reassuring hand on her knee, "we'll go back tomorrow and we'll find out what's going on."
Still at a loss for words Sophie stood up and began to climb up the stairs to the girls dormitory. Storm and Lily were both asleep in bed breathing softly. She changed out of her robes and climbed into bed, trying to imagen where Stella could possibly be living.
*
Sophie can't have been asleep for more than a few hours when she felt someone shaking her awake.
"Sophie", someone said while shaking her, "Sophie you need to wake up."
Despite how heavy her eyelids felt she forced them open and allowed them to focus on the figure in front of her. It was Professor Welsh.
"Sophie there's been an accident", Professor Welsh whispered, "I need you to come with me to professor Dumbledore's office, right now."
Sophie was instantly wide awake. She threw the covers off herself and grabbed a jumper out of her trunk, throwing on her sneakers before following Professor Welsh down the stairs.
"Professor Dumbledore recommended that you bring a friend with you when you receive the news", Professor Welsh said, once they were at the bottom of the staircase, "would you like me to wake anyone?"
"Sirius", Sophie said instinctively, shivering from the cold of the common room.
"Alright, wait here."
Professor Welsh disappeared up the stairs towards the boys dormitory's, leaving Sophie alone in the common room. It was impossible to tell what time it was by looking out the window and Sophie had left her watch upstairs on her bedside. What could have happened that would require Sophies urgent attention at such an unusual hour? Several horrific options began to flood into her mind. Was this all a trick so that Voldemort could lure her out of the common room and kill her?
It can't have been more than a few minutes before Sirius appeared in the doorway to the boys dormitory behind Professor Welsh. He was wearing the Christmas sweater he'd received from his parents while Sophie was visiting, on top of his pajamas. He looked unusually awake and was clearly tense, his wand evident in his right hand.
"Both of you need to come with me to Headmaster Dumbledore's office" Professor Welsh told them.
She turned and led them out the common room. For a second Sophie had expected something horrifying to happen as soon as Professor Welsh pushed open the door. However, they were met with nothing but an empty corridor. Sirius held her hand in his tightly as the walked, scanning everywhere for any signs of danger.
They made it to Dumbledore's office without seeing anyone at all and stopped in front of the Gargoyle statue.
"Gillyweed", Professor Welsh said, causing the statue to spring to life and step aside.
"I think it's best you to go up alone", she told them, "Headmaster Dumbledore will be waiting for you."
Hesitantly Sophie stepped forwards and began to climb the staircase, squeezing Sirius's hand tightly. She knocked on the heavy oak door and waited for Dumbledore to allow them inside. Once Dumbledore called for them to enter she pushed open the heavy oak door and stepped inside.
Alexander Gray was standing in the middle of the room wand in hand facing the door. Sophie felt her stomach drop to her feet and at the same time Sirius pushed in front of her his wand raised.
"Problem, Black?", Gray taunted.
"What the hell are you doing here?!", Sirius yelled his wand aimed straight at Gray, who looked perfectly relaxed, his wand no where to be seen.
"I was invited here, the same as you", Gray smirked.
"Mr Black", Dumbledore spoke, he was sitting behind his desk, with Jock standing in front of him, "I have asked Mr Gray to be here, please lower your wand."
Sirius looked reluctant but lowered his arm, keeping his wand firmly in his hand. Sophie looked over to Jock who was staring at her. '
"What's going on?", Sophie asked, walking up to Dumbledore's desk and standing beside Jock.
"I'm very sorry to tell you", Dumbledore began, "A large group of death eaters attacked your family's house last night."
"Were any of the death eaters caught?", Gray asked.
"Unfortunately not", Dumbledore replied, "but before they burnt it down they did manage to steal a number of items from your family home."
"They burned our house down?", Sophie gasped
Her feet went cold.
"Your parents and sister are alive. But they have all been injured and are currently in st mungo's hospital", Dumbledore explained, "if you wish you can go visit them now, or you can wait until the morning."
"I want to go now", Jock said, "how do we get there."
"We can use the floo network", Dumbledore told him, standing up.
Sophie followed him as he moved over to the fire place. Her mind was racing and empty at the same time. Death eaters had attacked her family and she knew exactly why.
"You two boys go through first", Dumbledore said, offering floo powder to Jock and Gray, "I need to speak with Miss Carson and Mr Black before I send them through."
Jock took a handful of the powder the expression on his face mirroring how Sophie felt. He and Gray stepped into the fire after throwing on the powder and chanting their destination. After they had disappeared in a swirl of green smoke Dumbledore moved over to a bookshelf beside the fire place and began to search through the books.
She and Sirius stood silently together watching as Dumbledore eventually found the book he was looking for and set it down on his desk.
"I know you may be feeling overwhelmed at this moment miss Carson but I feel it's important to inform you of this", he told her, signaling for her and Sirius to sit in the chairs opposite his desk. Unsure of what to say Sophie sat down silently.
Dumbledore flipped through the book until he found the page he was looking for. He turned the book around so that Sophie could see what he was doing. The top of the page was torn off removing the title and the page was so yellowed and clearly mistreated that it was almost impossible to read.
"This text describes an ancient spell", Dumbledore explained, "that I have reason to believe that lord Voldemort has been trying to perform this spell for quite some time now. If he is successful he will be able to make himself almost untouchable."
"What does this spell have to do with my parents house being attacked?", Sophie asked. She could feel tears brimming behind her eyes.
"This spell is incredibly complex and requires several sacrifices and precise steps to be taken. One of these steps includes the summoning of one whom you desire using an item most precious to them", Dumbledore explained.
"I'm not sure I understand..."
"I believe", Dumbledore explained, "that the death eaters stole a number of possessions that they deem precious to you."
"You think Voldemort wants to summon me for this spell?", Sophie asked, suddenly feeling her stomach tense and her feet go cold, "why would I be the one he most desires."
"It is, I believe, a combination of things, your possession of the eye of Merlin being the main factor. Your youth and lack of experience would lead Voldemort to believe that you are an easy target to be captured by himself or his death eaters."
"So your saying", Sirius said, gripping the arm rests of his seat so tight his knuckles were white, "that Voldemort now has the power to summon Sophie at will and all he needs to do to gain control of one of the most powerful objects in the wizarding world is to do that and then kill her..."
"I think we should go Sirius", Sophie stood up abruptly, "now."
"Of course", Dumbledore said, standing up as well and closing the book, "I will have the common room fire places open from now until six o clock this evening and I have already contacted your teachers to excuse all of you from your classes for the day."
Sophie took a handful of powder from the pot in Dumbledore's hands and threw it in the fireplace. The flames turned a bright green and Sophie stepped inside, not daring to hesitate incase Dumbledore tried to say anything else.
"St Mungo's Hospital", she stated, as clearly as she could.
She felt the ground disappear beneath her as she began to spin faster and faster in a sea of green flames. The sensation usually made her feel quite sick but now it appeared that her body had no energy left to handle any feeling other than fear and sadness. She felt her feet touch the floor and the sea of green flames disappeared leaving her standing in a different fire place. She stepped out and took in her surrounding. She could see the dark night sky outside the sliding doors on her right and infront of her was several waiting seats filled with people nursing various injury's.
The information desk was visible down the hall with a very large wizard sitting behind it. Sirius appeared behind her and they made their way down to the desk. The man gave them the room Sophies parents were in and they made their way up the stairs towards the room. She had no idea what time it was, but the hospital appeared to be nearly empty. Sirius didn't attempt to make conversation and Sophie was sure that she would throw up if she tried to speak. Too many things were going through her mind for her to make sense of anything. They managed to make their way up to the forth floor for spell related injury's, and found the room Sophies parents were staying in.
When they knocked on the door Jock replied announcing they could come in. The room had only three beds inside it. Jock and Gray were standing beside Sophies father who was covered in bruises and burns and was sleeping on a hospital bed. Gemma and her mother were in beds beside her father, both of them were asleep but neither showed any visible signs of being attacked.
"Have you seen anyone?", Sophie asked, moving over to her fathers other side, "how are they?"
"A doctor was here just before you left", Jock replied, not looking up from his fathers face, "he said they don't know what spells were used yet. They'll need to run more tests before they can help them."
"Are they going to be okay?"
"The doctor said they'll be fine", Jock said, "but he couldn't tell me how or when any of them would wake up..."
*
The four of them stayed in Sophies parents room for the rest of the night. Sirius, Sophie, and Gray all managed to get a few hours of sleep curled up on chairs, Jock stayed beside their father all night unmoving.
A doctor came back into the room to run a few more test on Sophies parents. He began working on Sophies dad first waving his wand slowly over him. Jock stood almost perfectly still beside the doctor, unable to look away from her father. Sophie felt Sirius grab her hand and he gently led her away.
"I know your worried", he said, "but I've been thinking. Maybe we should go visit your home. See how bad the damage is."
"That's a good idea", Jock said at once, "you two go. I'll say here with our parents."
"Are you sure?", Sophie asked, "maybe you should -"
"No", said Jock, "one of us should stay here. In case they wake up."
She and Sirius left Jock and Gray standing beside the Doctor and began to head back outside. On their way to the elevator Sophie saw a doctor standing outside another patients room talking to a young girl around her age.
"I'm sorry", he was saying, "but it's too late for us to do anything now. Your brother has completed the transformation to werewolf."
The girl began to cry and Sirius pulled her arm making her walk faster. They stepped in the elevator and rode it back to the reception floor.
"We can take the bus", Sophie said, finally finding her voice, "it's not that far from here, I don't think."
They walked out the front door of the hospital and out into the streets of London. It was cold and Sophie only properly realized now, that she was still in her pajamas. She wrapped her arms around her torso for warmth and began walking down the street in search of a bus stop. Sirius walked beside her, silently, thoughts were swirling through Sophies head, but, at the same time she felt as if her mind was blank. Her parents, her baby sister, had been attacked by Death Eaters, Death Eaters trying to get to her.
She cursed the eye of Merlin silently for choosing her. She'd never asked for the power nor had she wanted it, especially if she'd known that Voldemort was going to target her and her family. She began to walk faster, almost smacking the pavement with her feet angrily. She didn't want this power, she didn't need it, she wanted to be rid of it. Maybe Dumbledore would know of a way to give the Eye of Merlin to someone else, maybe Dumbledore himself could use it.
She and Sirius waited at the nearest bus stop in silence. Sophies family lived in the city in London so her house wasn't that far. Sirius seemed to be lost in his own thoughts as well, which meant she was stuck in hers. Voldemort's Death Eaters had stolen her things from her parents house, to try summon her. What was the thing that she deemed most precious? The necklace her parents had given her the day she got her Hogwarts letter? Her OWLS report card telling her she'd gotten the best grades Hogwarts had seen for over a century? Her decorated Photo frame her sister had given her showing her family on holiday in Paris during the Christmas holidays of her fourth year? There was any number of items she would deem precious to her.
What would happen if Voldemort was able to summon her? Would he kill her and get it over with. With her emotions so high she'd barely skimmed over the text Dumbledore had shown them. She wasn't sure what the spell could do or even why she was needed, or how it was performed.
She was brought out of her thoughts when Sirius rested his hand on her thigh. She looked up and saw the bus approaching towards them. Sirius paid for their tickets and the climbed aboard, sitting side by side at the very back. Sirius seemed to be on high alert, scanning the bus for anyone looking suspicious. A few people gave them second glances, but Sophie hoped it was only due to their pajamas.
The trip to from the bus stop to Sophies parent's house wasn't short, but even from where the bus dropped them off Sophie could see the ruins of her family home. She hurried towards it, Sirius right beside her. As they got closer she could see the full damage the Death Eaters had done, the house was charred black, not a spot of unburned wood anywhere, the balcony that wrapped around the house was smashed with pieces of wood being thrown everywhere. The muggles around the area didn't seem to think anything was out of the ordinary, however, no cars slowed down, and no passers by glanced up at the house.
"I think the ministry must have placed some sort of charm on the house", Sirius said, "so that the muggles can't see it."
Sophie didn't reply, instead she charged forward, up the shattered and burnt stairs of her front porch, and slid through the front door, which had been thrown of the hinges. Everything had been ransacked, it was clear the house had been searched before they'd burnt it down. The photo frames which lined the staircase to the second floor had all been thrown off the wall, and glass covered the stairs.
She felt sick to her stomach as she quickly hurried up the stairs and towards her bedroom. The door had been blasted off the hinges here as well and when she went in she was sure she truely was going to be sick. Everything was gone, there wasn't a single personal item left in her room. The bed had been stripped and the pillows taken, even the books from her nightstand were absent. Only her desk, bed, and armchair remained. She felt Sirius beside her but her ears were ringing. She felt like collapsing to her knees. They'd taken everything, all that she owned. They'd hurt her family, stolen from them, burned down their home.
She sat down on the bare bed and stared at the floor. This couldn't be happening, it wasn't fair, it wasn't right.
"Sophie", she felt the mattress sink as Sirius sat down beside her, he put his arm around her, but even he seemed lost for words. Tears began to enter her vision, she let them fall. She felt helpless, so incredibly helpless.
She wasn't sure how long they sat on her bed, sitting in her ransacked empty bedroom. After a while she found herself almost drifting to sleep, her head on Sirius's shoulder.
She woke when she heard voices from downstairs, Sirius stood up quickly, his wand in hand.
"Sophie!", Someone called, "it's Jock, Alexander and I just came from the hospital!"
Sophie hurried back down the stairs and found her brother and Gray standing in the entrance hall.
"How's everything look?", Jock asked.
"It's bad", she said bluntly, "everything's ruined, the house is destroyed, everything's been taken."
"I just don't understand", Jock was looking desperately at her, as if she was to have all the solutions to his problems, "why would the Death Eaters want to go after mom and dad?"
She opened and closed her mouth. How could she tell Jock that it was because of her that the Death Eaters had come. It was because of her that their parents and their baby sister were in hospital, and that it was because of her that their family house had been burned down.
"We've got to get back to school", Gray interrupted, "Dumbledore said he would keep the fireplaces open until six tonight."
"What did the doctor say", Sophie asked, "how are mom, dad and Gemma."
"The doctor said that Gemma's going to be okay", Sophie breathed a sigh of relief, "they said the potion to wake her will take around two weeks to brew. I'm going to send a letter to Uncle Fester, the one who lives in America, to see if she can stay with him until the summer holidays."
"Why would Gemma need to stay with Uncle Fester?"
"The doctors can't figure out why mom and dad won't wake up", Jock looked at his feet, "they said there's nothing they can do. Their going to keep running tests but... The doctor said they could be in a coma for months... If not years..."
Sophies ears began to ring again. Her parents were gone? Just like that? Gray coughed loudly and she looked at him. This was his fault. He was a Death Eater, he must have known about the plan to attack Sophies family, he must know everything. Sirius grabbed her hand but she shook him off, still staring at Gray.
"This is your fault!", She said, "I bet you knew this was going to happen! How could you let them do this!"
"Sophie what are you talking about?", Jock asked, while Gray just gave a small smirk, from behind him.
"He's a Death Eater", Sophie said, "you know he's a Death Eater! He's one of the one's who attacked me at Gringotts and you know that! Your 'best friend' tried to kill me Jock!"
"Sophie that's enough!", Jock growled, stepping towards her, "I understand that you've been through a lot today but so have I, and the last thing I need is you going on about some stupid little feud again!"
She could barely hear him. Gray was smirking at her from behind Jock, he had known what was going to happen, he was responsible for what had happened.
She reached into her pocket searching for her wand, but she came up empty.
"Sirius!", She turned towards him trying to grab his wand out of his hands, "Sirius, give me your wand."
"Soph", he moved the wand out of her reach, while she tried to grab at it furiously.
"Sirius, enough! Give me your wand now!"
"Sophie stop it!", Jock yelled.
"Yeah", Gray stepped forward, "look Carson, I don't know what crazy idea's you have in your head, but I'm not a Death Eater."
"Shut up!", Sophie felt tears well in her eyes, as she turned back towards him furiously, "this is all your fault! You know my powers so let me tell you that I know exactly what you've done Alexander! You are the reason my parents are... My parents are gone!"
"SOPHIE ENOUGH!", Jock pulled out his own wand and pointed it towards her, his hand shaking, "you wouldn't know what its like! To deal with Voldemort! Sometimes people just have to take the best option... To protect their family..."
"What..."
"I'm leaving", Jock said sternly, "Alexander and I are going now, I don't want to hear anything else from you. Make sure to be back at school by six."
Jock turned to leave Gray behind him.
"Of course you would take his side!", She yelled as he left, "why wouldn't you! I'm just the only family you have left!"
She collapsed into Sirius's arms, sobs enveloping her, Jock and Gray walked off back towards the hospital. Sirius held her as she cried, she couldn't believe what had happened in one day. Her parents were gone, and there was no way to know if they were going to wake up. Her brother had just chosen a Death Eaters side over her own. Her little sister... Gemma was going to wake up in two weeks and discover that her parents were gone and that her brother and sister were sending her to live on the other side of the world... And today she'd discovered that not only did Voldemort want to use her to make himself more powerful, but he also might have the power to summon her at will?
Sirius shushed her gently as she cried, wiping her hair out of her face. She must have fallen asleep again because she felt Sirius shaking her awake.
"We've got to leave soon", he whispered to her, "it's nearly six."
She slowly sat up and looked at him.
"What am I going to do Sirius?", She asked him, "how am I supposed to deal with all of this?"
"I know it's a lot", he said, "but we'll work something out, I know we will. I'm not going to let anything happen to you Soph."
He cupped her cheek gently and allowed her to close her eyes against his hand. She knew he meant those words, but how much could Sirius really protect her. When Voldemort wanted someone dead... But she wanted to believe him. She wanted to think that if anyone could protect her from Voldemort it would be him. She'd never felt this way before, and she loved the feeling that Sirius gave her.
"Come on", Sirius helped her to her feet, "I know it's a lot, but we've just got to keep going."
She allowed him to help her up and they walked back out the door and into the street, towards the bus stop. Sophie grabbed Sirius's hand to stop him, and turned him back towards the scorched ruin of her childhood home.
She was going to fight Voldemort with every ounce of strength that she had.