The Undiscovered Black
As Lupin led them inside, Harry, Ron, and Hermione couldn't help but notice the defiant change in the Black house. The walls, furniture, and artwork had changed completely. Instead of the dark, forbidding look it had held earlier that year, it was now bright, cheery, and welcoming. The furniture
was new-agey, yet still had a hint of old-english taste.
"Welcome to the newly owned and improved house of Black!" said Lupin, who had caught the look of surprise on their faces and welcomed them with a smile. "Any complaints go to the owner, who couldn't stand the 'grunginess'
of the place."
"Owner?" said Hermione, bewildered. "Sirius is--"
"He wasn't the only Black left, you know." Remus cut in. "He had one family
member left. Anneliese Brooke," he said.
"Anneliese Brooke? Isn't she that singer?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, she is." Remus smiled.
"Well, what's she got to do with it? She's not a Black, is she?" Hermione
inquired.
"Actually, she is. She can't go by Black, seeing that Sirius was held in prison for 13 years then went on the run." He led them through the brightly
colored house to the kitchen.
They went through the door to the kitchen and they noticed a girl slightly
shorter than Harry talking on the phone. She had long dark hair that
reached the middle of her back. As they entered, she quickly ended her phone conversation. She turned around, and a very pretty face was revealed. She had warm brown eyes and she revealed very white and even teeth when she
smiled. "Anneliese, I'd like you to meet Ron," she shoke his hand.
"Hermione," she shook her hand. "And Harry." She held out her highly
polished hand and shook his.
"Well, I'll leave you to it," Remus said to her. She nodded, and he went
through the door to the dining room.
"I'm so glad I finally get to meet you, everyone in the order talks so
highly of you," she said, smiling. "So, er, do you want to go into the
dining room? The rest of the order should be back soon with my friend
Mindy, she's coming to stay for a few days.
They walked into the dining room and Mrs.Weasley huried over to them. She hugged them all. She had not seen Ron for a few weeks, seeing as they had
been staying with Hermione. She then hurried off and started cooking dinner. They chose their seats, Anneliese sitting next to Fred and Harry,
Ron, and Hermione sitting across from her.
"Hey, Harry, Ron, Hermione," said Fred. George (who was sitting next to
him) smiled.
"Hey, Fred, could you and George take their things upstairs?" she asked him
sweetly.
"Why can't they get them?" asked Fred.
"Because, they've just arrived. They had a long journey and I'm sure
they're tired," she said. She gave him a pleading look, and he sighed.
"Ok, ok, we'll get them. C'mon, George."
They both got up, took their things and dragged them upstairs.
Ron looked at her, amazement spreading over his face. "How did you get them
to do that?"
Anneliese shrugged. "I dunno. I guess he can't say 'no' to me, in a sense,"
she said and smiled.
"So, um, how were you related to Sirius?" asked Hermione softly.
"Oh, he was my father," she said. "My mother had drilled it into her head that he was a murderer, so I hadn't met him until earlier this year, when
my mother died."
"I'm so sorry," said Hermione, sympathetically.
"Why? It's not your fault he died," Anneliese said, shrugging it off.
"It's mine," said Harry, who still thought it had been his fault Sirius
died.
"It's no one's fault but Voldemort's," she said, looking at Harry.
A few moments passed, with nothing but the sounds of the Order socializing. Until the doorbell rang, and Anneliese jumped up to answer it. She opened it, and in came Kingsley Shaklebolt, Nymphendora Tonks, Mad-Eye Moody, and a girl they had never seen before. She had long blonde hair, sea-blue eyes, and oval-shaped glasses. She was wearing almost exactly what Anneliese was
wearing: a blue halter top and a short jean skirt, with high-heal boots
that reached her knees. She was very pretty.
They hugged, and then Anneliese introduced her.
"Everyone" she said, addressing the table full of people. "This is my friend, Mindy Maurez. She'll be staying here for a while." She smiled, then
went around the table and introduced them all. She finished as Fred and George came down the steps. She turned to them, and Fred, knowing she was going to ask him to carry more luggage, took Mindy's bag and went back up
the stairs. They both sat down.
"So how has you're vacation been so far?" Anneliese asked her.
"It's been okay, you know," Mindy said, but quickly changed the subject.
"Why do you have to leave me? School will be horrible without you!"
"I didn't choose to leave, I had to. And besides, we can still send
letters!"
"It won't be the same!" Mindy said whiningly. "Come with me then! You only live a few hours from here!" Anneliese said.
"Yeah, because my parents would really let me do that," said Mindy,
sarcastically.
"Well then, letters will just have to do," said Anneliese. Just then, Mrs. Weasley came through the door, laden with dishes full of delicious looking food. She set them down in the middle of the table, and everyone started dishing up. Anneliese took very little food, saying she
needed to "watch what she was eating", though in the others opinion she
looked fine.
Once again, the doorbell rang, and Anneliese got up to answer it. She opened the door, and Dumbledore stepped in, nodded to everyone around the table, and gave Anneliese his traveling cloak. She put it on the rack by
the door.
"Have a seat! We're just now sitting down to dinner!" she said to him. "I shall, Anneliese, thank you," he said, nodding to her, and she took her
seat between Fred and Mindy. Professor Dumbledore sat down the row from the trio, and nodded to them. He looked tired and stressed, and they didn't blame him. He had been through a lot lately, with all the happenings with Voldemort and his Death Eaters. They all finished eating and were leaning back in their chairs, stomachs
full and drowsiness falling over them. "Do you all like Quidditch?" Anneliese asked suddenly, startling them all.
"Yeah," said Ron. "Why?"
"Well, there's a game between Pride of Portree and Puddlemere United in
about five minutes, and I can get the game on my TV. Do you want to go
watch it?"
"Yeah!" Harry and Ron said in unison. Hermione said nothing.
She grinned. "Excellent! C'mon, let's go before we get stuck doing the dishes!" she quickly and quietly got up and went to the door, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Mindy, Fred, and George behind her. The Order members were
too busy talking to notice they had gone.
They went up the stairs, all the way up to Anneliese's room, which was
filled with many electronics. How they worked with all the magic around
they did not know, though with the game drawing nearer they did not inquire. They all chose their seats, the television was turned on, and the
game began. It started off with Puddlemere with the Quaffle, which was intercepted by a chaser of Portree, who attempted to throw it through the goal post, though
was stopped by Keeper Oliver Wood. They all cheered with the crowd.
"Their keeper this year is one of the best they've had in years. Wood,
isn't it?" Anneliese asked.
"Yeah. He was keeper for Gryffindor three years ago," Harry answered.
"Gryffindor?" she asked confusingly.
"It's a house at Hogwarts. There are also Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and
Slytherin," Harry answered. "We're in Gryffindor," he added.
"So you know Wood? Personally?" She looked impressed.
"Yeah." "We should go to a game! Would you guys want to do that?" she asked them
all during commercial break.
"Yeah!" they all said, liking Anneliese more every minute.
"I'll look into it. Maybe we can go before school starts," she said.
"You're going to Hogwarts this year, aren't you?" Ginny asked her. "Yeah, I can't wait!" she exclaimed. "I'm supposed to be taking my O.W.L.'s
soon, so I know what courses I'm going to take. Professor Dumbledore is supposed to tell me when I'm going to take them, but he hasn't given word
yet."
They turned their attention back to the game, just in time to see
Puddlemere score a point. They again cheered.
The game continued. In ten minutes time the score was 50-50.
"Come on, get the snitch, you lazy –" Her words were drowned out by the cheers of the others as Puddlemere scored
again. "Puddlemere United in the lead, 60-50, we go to a commercial break," said
the TV announcer. Just then, there was a knock on the door. They jumped at the sound of it, but Anneliese quickly got up and opened it. Dumbledore came sweeping in,
with his long white beard tucked into his belt, and his calm blue eyes
staring down at them over his half-moon glasses, which sat on his long,
crooked nose. He nodded to them all, and then turned to Anneliese. "Anneliese, I've received notification that your Ordinary Wizarding Level
exams will be held this Saturday at noon. They will go on until late at
night, so as to have enough time to finish your Astronomy exam. You may
want to review your spells and potions, just to be careful." She nodded. "I have another question," she said, and he smiled warmly, his blue eyes twinkling down at her. "When will I be sorted? Will I be sorted
separately, or—"
"You will be sorted with the first years," he said, cutting her off. "I
will explain the situation before hand, so you won't look like an –"
"Idiot?" she finished his sentence. "Yes," he said and smiled. "But seeing as the whole Wizarding world knows
you, I doubt that will be the case."
Anneliese smiled. "Okay." He turned to leave but before he did, he reached into his cloak and pulled
out five envelopes. He handed them to her. "The lists for you and your
friends. When will you be going to Diagon Alley?" "Oh, I was thinking of going tomorrow, but I don't know if they wanted to
come or not. Where is it, anyway?" "Diagon Alley is located in the back alley of the Leaky Cauldron. Three up,
two across, right above the trash cans." "Okay, thanks," she said smiling, and he backed out of the room, nodding
his head before finally closing the door. She went back over and sat on the couch. She gave everyone their letters. Knowing what was in them, they cast them aside, thinking no more of them,
seeing as the game had come back on.
As Lupin led them inside, Harry, Ron, and Hermione couldn't help but notice the defiant change in the Black house. The walls, furniture, and artwork had changed completely. Instead of the dark, forbidding look it had held earlier that year, it was now bright, cheery, and welcoming. The furniture
was new-agey, yet still had a hint of old-english taste.
"Welcome to the newly owned and improved house of Black!" said Lupin, who had caught the look of surprise on their faces and welcomed them with a smile. "Any complaints go to the owner, who couldn't stand the 'grunginess'
of the place."
"Owner?" said Hermione, bewildered. "Sirius is--"
"He wasn't the only Black left, you know." Remus cut in. "He had one family
member left. Anneliese Brooke," he said.
"Anneliese Brooke? Isn't she that singer?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, she is." Remus smiled.
"Well, what's she got to do with it? She's not a Black, is she?" Hermione
inquired.
"Actually, she is. She can't go by Black, seeing that Sirius was held in prison for 13 years then went on the run." He led them through the brightly
colored house to the kitchen.
They went through the door to the kitchen and they noticed a girl slightly
shorter than Harry talking on the phone. She had long dark hair that
reached the middle of her back. As they entered, she quickly ended her phone conversation. She turned around, and a very pretty face was revealed. She had warm brown eyes and she revealed very white and even teeth when she
smiled. "Anneliese, I'd like you to meet Ron," she shoke his hand.
"Hermione," she shook her hand. "And Harry." She held out her highly
polished hand and shook his.
"Well, I'll leave you to it," Remus said to her. She nodded, and he went
through the door to the dining room.
"I'm so glad I finally get to meet you, everyone in the order talks so
highly of you," she said, smiling. "So, er, do you want to go into the
dining room? The rest of the order should be back soon with my friend
Mindy, she's coming to stay for a few days.
They walked into the dining room and Mrs.Weasley huried over to them. She hugged them all. She had not seen Ron for a few weeks, seeing as they had
been staying with Hermione. She then hurried off and started cooking dinner. They chose their seats, Anneliese sitting next to Fred and Harry,
Ron, and Hermione sitting across from her.
"Hey, Harry, Ron, Hermione," said Fred. George (who was sitting next to
him) smiled.
"Hey, Fred, could you and George take their things upstairs?" she asked him
sweetly.
"Why can't they get them?" asked Fred.
"Because, they've just arrived. They had a long journey and I'm sure
they're tired," she said. She gave him a pleading look, and he sighed.
"Ok, ok, we'll get them. C'mon, George."
They both got up, took their things and dragged them upstairs.
Ron looked at her, amazement spreading over his face. "How did you get them
to do that?"
Anneliese shrugged. "I dunno. I guess he can't say 'no' to me, in a sense,"
she said and smiled.
"So, um, how were you related to Sirius?" asked Hermione softly.
"Oh, he was my father," she said. "My mother had drilled it into her head that he was a murderer, so I hadn't met him until earlier this year, when
my mother died."
"I'm so sorry," said Hermione, sympathetically.
"Why? It's not your fault he died," Anneliese said, shrugging it off.
"It's mine," said Harry, who still thought it had been his fault Sirius
died.
"It's no one's fault but Voldemort's," she said, looking at Harry.
A few moments passed, with nothing but the sounds of the Order socializing. Until the doorbell rang, and Anneliese jumped up to answer it. She opened it, and in came Kingsley Shaklebolt, Nymphendora Tonks, Mad-Eye Moody, and a girl they had never seen before. She had long blonde hair, sea-blue eyes, and oval-shaped glasses. She was wearing almost exactly what Anneliese was
wearing: a blue halter top and a short jean skirt, with high-heal boots
that reached her knees. She was very pretty.
They hugged, and then Anneliese introduced her.
"Everyone" she said, addressing the table full of people. "This is my friend, Mindy Maurez. She'll be staying here for a while." She smiled, then
went around the table and introduced them all. She finished as Fred and George came down the steps. She turned to them, and Fred, knowing she was going to ask him to carry more luggage, took Mindy's bag and went back up
the stairs. They both sat down.
"So how has you're vacation been so far?" Anneliese asked her.
"It's been okay, you know," Mindy said, but quickly changed the subject.
"Why do you have to leave me? School will be horrible without you!"
"I didn't choose to leave, I had to. And besides, we can still send
letters!"
"It won't be the same!" Mindy said whiningly. "Come with me then! You only live a few hours from here!" Anneliese said.
"Yeah, because my parents would really let me do that," said Mindy,
sarcastically.
"Well then, letters will just have to do," said Anneliese. Just then, Mrs. Weasley came through the door, laden with dishes full of delicious looking food. She set them down in the middle of the table, and everyone started dishing up. Anneliese took very little food, saying she
needed to "watch what she was eating", though in the others opinion she
looked fine.
Once again, the doorbell rang, and Anneliese got up to answer it. She opened the door, and Dumbledore stepped in, nodded to everyone around the table, and gave Anneliese his traveling cloak. She put it on the rack by
the door.
"Have a seat! We're just now sitting down to dinner!" she said to him. "I shall, Anneliese, thank you," he said, nodding to her, and she took her
seat between Fred and Mindy. Professor Dumbledore sat down the row from the trio, and nodded to them. He looked tired and stressed, and they didn't blame him. He had been through a lot lately, with all the happenings with Voldemort and his Death Eaters. They all finished eating and were leaning back in their chairs, stomachs
full and drowsiness falling over them. "Do you all like Quidditch?" Anneliese asked suddenly, startling them all.
"Yeah," said Ron. "Why?"
"Well, there's a game between Pride of Portree and Puddlemere United in
about five minutes, and I can get the game on my TV. Do you want to go
watch it?"
"Yeah!" Harry and Ron said in unison. Hermione said nothing.
She grinned. "Excellent! C'mon, let's go before we get stuck doing the dishes!" she quickly and quietly got up and went to the door, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Mindy, Fred, and George behind her. The Order members were
too busy talking to notice they had gone.
They went up the stairs, all the way up to Anneliese's room, which was
filled with many electronics. How they worked with all the magic around
they did not know, though with the game drawing nearer they did not inquire. They all chose their seats, the television was turned on, and the
game began. It started off with Puddlemere with the Quaffle, which was intercepted by a chaser of Portree, who attempted to throw it through the goal post, though
was stopped by Keeper Oliver Wood. They all cheered with the crowd.
"Their keeper this year is one of the best they've had in years. Wood,
isn't it?" Anneliese asked.
"Yeah. He was keeper for Gryffindor three years ago," Harry answered.
"Gryffindor?" she asked confusingly.
"It's a house at Hogwarts. There are also Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and
Slytherin," Harry answered. "We're in Gryffindor," he added.
"So you know Wood? Personally?" She looked impressed.
"Yeah." "We should go to a game! Would you guys want to do that?" she asked them
all during commercial break.
"Yeah!" they all said, liking Anneliese more every minute.
"I'll look into it. Maybe we can go before school starts," she said.
"You're going to Hogwarts this year, aren't you?" Ginny asked her. "Yeah, I can't wait!" she exclaimed. "I'm supposed to be taking my O.W.L.'s
soon, so I know what courses I'm going to take. Professor Dumbledore is supposed to tell me when I'm going to take them, but he hasn't given word
yet."
They turned their attention back to the game, just in time to see
Puddlemere score a point. They again cheered.
The game continued. In ten minutes time the score was 50-50.
"Come on, get the snitch, you lazy –" Her words were drowned out by the cheers of the others as Puddlemere scored
again. "Puddlemere United in the lead, 60-50, we go to a commercial break," said
the TV announcer. Just then, there was a knock on the door. They jumped at the sound of it, but Anneliese quickly got up and opened it. Dumbledore came sweeping in,
with his long white beard tucked into his belt, and his calm blue eyes
staring down at them over his half-moon glasses, which sat on his long,
crooked nose. He nodded to them all, and then turned to Anneliese. "Anneliese, I've received notification that your Ordinary Wizarding Level
exams will be held this Saturday at noon. They will go on until late at
night, so as to have enough time to finish your Astronomy exam. You may
want to review your spells and potions, just to be careful." She nodded. "I have another question," she said, and he smiled warmly, his blue eyes twinkling down at her. "When will I be sorted? Will I be sorted
separately, or—"
"You will be sorted with the first years," he said, cutting her off. "I
will explain the situation before hand, so you won't look like an –"
"Idiot?" she finished his sentence. "Yes," he said and smiled. "But seeing as the whole Wizarding world knows
you, I doubt that will be the case."
Anneliese smiled. "Okay." He turned to leave but before he did, he reached into his cloak and pulled
out five envelopes. He handed them to her. "The lists for you and your
friends. When will you be going to Diagon Alley?" "Oh, I was thinking of going tomorrow, but I don't know if they wanted to
come or not. Where is it, anyway?" "Diagon Alley is located in the back alley of the Leaky Cauldron. Three up,
two across, right above the trash cans." "Okay, thanks," she said smiling, and he backed out of the room, nodding
his head before finally closing the door. She went back over and sat on the couch. She gave everyone their letters. Knowing what was in them, they cast them aside, thinking no more of them,
seeing as the game had come back on.