"Genavieve Colbert?" Genna looked up and recognized Dean Thomas' dark face, though she didn't know if he knew her. She raised her hand to indicate that that was her name, and he walked over to hand her a piece of rolled up parchment. He left the classroom as Genna unfolded the paper and she read in slanted cursive:
Genavieve,
I request a word with you immediately. Please give this to your professor and come to my office right away. The password is lemon drops.
Professor Albus Dumbledore
With a furrowed brow, Genna stood and handed the piece of parchment to Professor McGonagall who nodded in understanding and Genna took her leave. Professor Dumbledore's office was easy enough to find, but as Genna had never tried to enter his office before, she had some trouble discovering she actually had to speak the words "lemon drop" aloud for the stone gargoyles to leap aside and exhibit a winding staircase to the office.
Genna couldn't imagine what the meeting could possibly be about. She couldn't even remember ever having a private meeting with Dumbledore in her life. Was she in trouble for something? She tried to recount any possible damages she might've caused on school grounds, but couldn't think of any. Ravenclaws took clowning around as an insult to their house, so Genna tried to be her best when at Hogwarts, even if she was a little reckless outside of school.
She knocked at the great oak doors and heard her welcome. She pushed open a door, which she found surprisingly easy, despite their massive size.
"Hello Professor," she said politely.
She saw that Dumbledore looked older than usual with dark circles under his eyes like he hadn't slept in days. His deadened hand, which she had previously seen – along with every other student at Hogwarts – looked blacker and more hideous than ever, which she did not lend just to seeing him up close for the first time in a long time.
"Hello, Genavieve. Have a seat." He indicated the chair across from his desk and he stood up, walking away. He stopped next to a bright red bird who cried one sweetly sickening note that made Genna want to burst into tears, though she had no reason to. "I am afraid I must beg your forgiveness. It is not I who should be telling you this, but it has been confirmed that your mother has been murdered by death eaters."
"What?" Genna couldn't understand. This was a joke.
"Ministry authorities found her after it was too late. The Dark Mark was already placed above her house… your house," he added.
And it didn't sting; it gnawed at Genna's insides like someone was melting ice inside of her. She found that she was lost for words, as if no two words could be strung together anymore to describe how she felt or how she knew that these words were inescapably true. She didn't know how she knew. Any sane person might ask for evidence, but she knew. She could feel that her mother, her best friend, her heaven sent angel was no longer with her.
"I give you my condolences," Dumbledore continued in what Genna was taking in as a muffled sort of off-distance voice. "It has come to my attention that you have no known immediate family?"
Genna shook her head once, not quite understanding why she was doing so.
"Ah," Dumbledore said in a low voice, as if comprehending something. "Well, then it is also my role to play the part of a news giver again. We've found your father."
Genna looked up at him, unable to contort her body to give off any knowable emotion.
"He's dead," she said finally, in a voice as dead as the grave.
"Yes, I do believe that that is what your mother told you all these years and I do not blame her. But your father is, in fact, alive. And he is also more than willing to meet you if you so choose. Although, in the current predicament, I will not blame you for choosing either option. Or none at all," he added as an afterthought. "My suggestion is that you give him a chance; he is your birth father after all, and you are in need of someone to relate with. Please," he said in a soft voice, "just do not judge him."
Genna didn't really know what she was agreeing to when she nodded, but seconds later she was being lead to the fireplace in Dumbledore's office and instructed to use floo powder.
When her feet hit the hard ground of another fireplace, she coughed. Bodily sounds like coughing, choking, even breathing seemed so alien to her now, she realized. Something wasn't quite right and she couldn't place her finger on it. Then she remembered; she hadn't cried yet. Dwelling on this thought, she stepped out of the fireplace to find herself in an old broken down kitchen, large as it was dirty, she found it comforting to know perfection did not exist absolutely everywhere. She grabbed the first chair she could find and sat in a defeated manner.
"Ah, Dumbledore! I've been expecting –…" A man cut his sentence short as he rounded the corner and stopped dead underneath the threshold of the kitchen. Whatever or whoever this man had been expecting, it had surely not been Genna. She looked up at him, only vaguely interested, until two items clicked together in her mind: a picture of a man escaped from Azkaban with a wild expression and a name, "Sirius Black," Genna whispered.
"Yes," he said, as if answering a question. "Where is Dumbledo--?" But his sentence was cut short once more by the entrance of the old wizard himself. Dumbledore stepped lightly out of the fireplace.
"She's just been told, Sirius, do not expect her to take the news of you being her father well," Dumbledore warned.
"Professor, it's Sirius Black!" Genna said in a slightly hysteric voice, pointing at the somewhat softened face of the ex-prisoner.
"I am well aware, Genavieve. But Sirius Black is not the man you have been told he was," Dumbledore answered kindly.
Genna fumbled through her mind for a minute. She took a deep breath. "You're trying to tell me that my father is Sirius Black?" she asked, not even believing her own words.
"Yes," Sirius answered this time. "It must sound strange. Rory changed her last name, I assume?"
"Colbert," Dumbledore said, taking a seat adjacent to Genna's. He gave Sirius a significant look.
"Of course," Sirius said. "I remember. Genavieve, you don't remember me do you?"
She stared into the sunken eyes of her would-be father and answered, "No."
"You were two," Sirius said, cautiously taking a chair at the opposite end of the table from Genna. "I was framed, you have to believe me."
"Why would I believe you?"
"If it's any help, I believe him," Dumbledore interjected. "Along with an acquaintance of yours, I believe, Harry Potter."
"Harry Potter?" Genna scoffed. "The Chosen One? And that's supposed to convince me? Sirius Black," she folder her arms, unaware as to where this sudden streak of recklessness had come from, "the man who murdered so many muggles with tons of witnesses, expects me to believe that he was framed with only the assurance that Harry Potter believes him?"
"Peter Pettigrew, one of Voldemort's more scared servants was able to escape Sirius' clutches and blame a mass killing of muggles on him at the same time; no small feat, I assure you, but it is all true," Dumbledore said.
"Right. Because Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban with a good Alohamora and a smile at the dementors," Genna noted sarcastically.
"I'm an animagus," Sirius said quickly. "But listen for five seconds, Genavieve! I'm innocent. Your mother and I, we wanted the best for you, and we both agreed that if I was to be in Azkaban for life, as was the sentence, it would be easier for both you and Rory that I disappear from your lives completely."
"Why would she hide something like that from me?" Genna snapped back. "I'm her best friend! She wouldn't lie to me. My father died when I was two."
"And in a way, I did," Sirius said darkly, his tone finally matching his demeanor. "I've waited all this time to see my beautiful daughter, knowing all along that she would not believe me when I told her the truth… if I ever got to tell her."
"I want to go back," Genna said quietly.
"Are you sure?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes."
"Wait, Genna. Please. Just listen for a moment!" Sirius pleaded.
"For what? So some ex-convict can lie to me some more? My mother just died!" Genna was screaming, and she felt hot tears come down her cheeks. "I don't want to ever see you again! I WISH YOU WOULD JUST DIE!"
She knew the impact of her words immediately as Sirius' face grew darker and grayer, if possible.
"Sirius, I told you she is under much emotional distress. Understand that she is not in the right mind right now," Dumbledore said urgently.
"Of course I know," Sirius said. His voice was as cold as the night.
Genna did not apologize, though she felt a small pang of regret. Her tears continued to stream, too, regardless of how many times she wiped her eyes. Suddenly, and for no coherent reason, she broke down. She sobbed openly, not caring about who saw or who cared. She was scared; where would she go now?
Sirius came over to her and carefully, so as not to upset her more, kneeled down in front of her. "I know, Genna. I know. It's hard."
She looked down at him and noticed for the first time his light blue eyes; they were the same ones she often got complimented on; the same ones her mother so often said were her father's. And Genna gave in. She gloried in the fact that she often chose brains over heart, but this once, she let go of intuition and went for what felt right. She threw her arms around Sirius' neck and cried uncontrollably, unlike anytime she'd ever cried.
And to her surprise, Sirius Black began to cry, too, as he held onto his daughter.
Minutes later, after Genna was able to handle her emotional self better, she began to laugh. It was a relief and Sirius Black smiled back. The transformation was magical; his darkened eyes seemed brighter and even the desperate air of the kitchen seemed a lighter shade.
"It'll take some convincing, I know," Sirius said with a sad smile, "but I'm planning on being around."
"I apologize," Dumbledore said, "but I must insist that Genavieve get back to Hogwarts."
"Of course," Sirius said.
"When can I come back?" Genna asked quickly.
"Well I don't see why you cannot come over the Christmas break," Dumbledore said, "though I do believe you still have unrelated 'family' so to speak back at home?"
"Sorry?" Genna asked.
"I am speaking of the Colbert family – the real Colbert family, that is."
"Oh yeah," Genna said, realizing who Dumbledore was speaking of. "Stephen is my mom's best friend. He has a daughter who's in Hufflepuff, but he's a muggle," Genna informed Sirius who had looked questioning.
"Best friend?" Sirius inquired innocently, but Genna couldn't help but here the twinge of jealousy.
"He's gay," Genna said with a smile.
"Oh," Sirius muttered.
"Right. Well, I believe we can visit Mr. Colbert in the morning," Dumbledore concluded, standing up and taking some floo powder from his pocket.
"I'll see you at Christmas then," Sirius said.
"Right," Genna replied.
The next morning, after a sleepless night spent sitting in front of the Ravenclaw common room's fireplace reading, Genna skipped breakfast. Her best friend Brendon, who had thought that perhaps Genna had already gone down to the Great Hall, came rushing back ten minutes later to find her alone in the common room once more.
"Genna!" he said, taking a seat next to hers. "I'm so sorry."
She looked up at him and smiled weakly. "How'd you hear about it?"
"It was in The Daily Prophet," he answered. "Can I do anything? Are you okay?"
She thought about that question and couldn't figure out how to answer it until finally she decided on, "I think I'll be okay. All I need right now… is someone to lean on."
"Well, you've always had that. I meant is there anything more I can do?"
"Just be here, okay?" She touched his arm momentarily before leaning back into her cushioned chair and closing her eyes.
"I expect some of the Ravenclaws will rush back sooner than normal to be nosy," Brendon confided, "so I would suggest not being in here."
"I'm leaving in fifteen minutes anyway," Genna replied.
"Leaving?"
"I'll be back by tonight I think. Or sooner. I honestly don't know what I'm going to say or do, but I'm going to see Mr. Colbert."
"Oh right. Your mom's friend," Brendon said.
"Yeah. I don't know. Dumbledore said he wanted me to talk to him about something. I'm not even sure what I'm supposed to say. But we'll see I guess."
"Oh!" exclaimed Brendon, reaching inside his pocket. "This came for you at breakfast; Fizzgig came by, I guess he assumed I would find you faster than he could." He handed her a letter and she opened it without looking at the sender.
"It's from Stephen," Genna muttered to herself.
"Stephen?"
"Mr. Colbert," Genna corrected. "He says…" She trailed off as she read the letter to herself. Brendon waited patiently. "He says he wants me to live with him and Kaia." She fumbled trying to put the piece of paper back in the envelope until another, smaller piece of paper fell out, which had gone unnoticed.
"What is that? More of the letter?" Brendon asked curiously.
"It's… it's my mom's will," Genna said breathlessly.
Brendon now sat stock-still and watched as his best friend's expression changed from relatively calm to genuinely upset.
"Genna, are you okay?"
Her hand went to her mouth as she reread the will again. It was true. It was all in plain writing now. Genna read the letter aloud:
"My dearest Genna, How is it that you've grown up so fast? If you're reading this, I am so upset to know that I cannot see you become the lady you are so eagerly becoming now. You are growing in knowledge, wisdom, and strength, but there are a couple things I need to have you know.
"The absence of a father in your life and a husband in mine has taken a noticeable toll on the both of us, but as is customary of girls, we push on. And I also think and know that now is the time for you to understand the truth; your father is not dead. He was arrested under false charges when you were two years old and we decided together that it would be healthier for you to think that he was dead. He was given a life sentence. I hope you do not hate me for not telling you the truth; you have just been so young for so long, I never thought you were ready.
"But then, I don't think I would have ever thought you would have been ready. You will always be my baby girl. I loved your father, and I want you to hold no ill will towards him. Albus Dumbledore will have sorted this out by now; I had left instructions with him to carry out if I was ever killed. So if you have met your father, please be kind to him and remind him that I love him.
"Secondly, I have arranged with Stephen for you to stay with him and Kaia over the summer. Although you are welcome to choose a lodging of your own choice, I would much prefer you stay with Stephen because I know him better than any other guardian and to be frank, I trust him with your life. He's the father figure you've been missing, Genna, so be truthful with him always. He has always been so good to me and you. Ever since he first took us in as a family (and quite literally so, taken the last name), he's been so generous.
"I love you so much, Genavieve. I will miss you, but I know I'm in a better place, now. Don't cry for my departure, but be joyous for the time when we can meet again.
"I love you, Mom."
Genna finished reading in a choked up voice. Brendon came over and hugged her.
"It's all right. It's going to be okay, Gen."
"I miss her so much, Brendon," Genna said.
"I know," he soothed. "I know."
"Genavieve!" Stephen proclaimed as Genna stepped through the door. He immediately came over and hugged her. Dumbledore followed behind Genna shortly. She was thoroughly impressed by his lack of shock upon seeing Dumbledore's bright violet robes.
"Hey, Mr. Colbert," Genna said.
"Stephen," he corrected her for the thousandth time.
Genna smiled weakly.
"Anyway," he interrupted, looking at Dumbledore. He was one of the few people Genna knew who could see eye-to-eye to him, literally. "She's welcome to stay here over the summer. She and Kaia aren't friends exactly, but they're in the same year."
"I quite agree," Dumbledore responded kindly. "But I do believe that this is Genavieve's choice."
"What about…?" Genna trailed off, thinking about her father, wondering if she would only be able to see him over the Christmas break, and for how long?
"I'm afraid Sirius is constricted to that house until further notice; I would prefer it if you weren't stuck there, either, but like I said, it is completely up to you."
"Sirius?" Stephen inquired.
"My… father," Genna said, refusing to make eye contact with either men.
"Right," Stephen said awkwardly.
"Well, I want to see him, for sure. But I can… er… decide later, right?"
"Of course," Dumbledore answered.
"Well, I think summer sounds fine for coming here," Genna said. Stephen smiled happily.
"Let's be on our way," Dumbledore said.
"Right," Stephen said. "Be safe, Genna."
"Okay. I will," Genna said.