Disclaimer: Everything you recognize is by J.K. Rowling except for Jamie, Luka, and Ariana.
When I go back and think on my time when I was going into my third year, I remember the precarious state that I was in. Emotions ran high, and the world was taking a turn into the dangerous and uncharted. Little did I know that growing up would come with all this trouble. The problem is you can't change any of it.
Chapter 1- Welcome to the New World
The breeze rips past me, and sends strands of my golden brown hair whipping into my eyes. I don't bother trying to sweep it back behind my ear. I had already come to the conclusion that it was a worthless act. The wind would just pick right back up again. I pull my hands into my jumper's sleeves and glare at the faintly lit house in front of me.
A shadow passes in front of the window and judging by the size, its Kingsley standing there staring out at me. Not that I'd ever talk to him even if he was going to attempt to converse with me. I guess it's an understatement to say that things are uncomfortable at home.
I almost wish that I was with Harry and his wizard hating family. Almost. I'm not that desperate yet. The wind picks up into a howl again, so it masks the crunching sound of my brother coming foot under the tree that I'm sitting high up in. "Are you going to stay up there the rest of summer?" Luka calls up to me when the wind lessens.
I drop my gaze lower to take in my brother. He's wrapped his silver and blue Ravenclaw scarf around his neck to fight off the unusual crisp chill that has descended over the plain. Luka pushing up his newly acquired glasses on the bridge of his nose. It shocks me still to see him wearing them for he's worn contacts for so long.
"I rather like the environment out here. At least there is a good reason for the chill that creeps up." I reply in a bored voice desperately trying to keep the emotion out of my voice. I didn't think that I would take it this hard being betrayed like this. Kingsley isn't my father— not really. He's just my guardian. My parents are dead… and my uncle helped kill them off.
I heard a scuffle down below and refocus my attention in time to watch Luka haul himself up into the tree next to me. He balances precariously on a branch next to me, and lets out an embarrassing little squeak when another gust of wind comes up again.
"What is it with you and bloody heights? Its like you're part bird or something?" Luka grumbles once he feels secure enough in his purchase to talk again.
"I'm a dragon Luka its in my nature to attempt to gain freedom in the air." I deadpan right back to him. A pang of pain runs through me at the thought of my family yet again.
"Please Jamie lets be serious for a few moments. This is huge! We have more family out there, we aren't the only ones now! Everything that we thought that we knew has changed! Not to mention that our dear Uncle Augustus wants to murder us in our sleep! I hardly think that Kingsley keeping this from us should be our only concern here." Luka cries. I growl lowly in the back of my throat.
"You think that I haven't thought about that? I have done nothing but think about that since I found out! You try finding that out from a living diary bent on killing your friends and then toying with you just to see you be driven mad before allowing you to silently slip off into the darkness." I yell back.
Luka stiffens and bites his lower lip in worry. I'm only thirteen. I shouldn't have to be worrying about these types of things. I should be worrying on whether or not I got my best friend the perfect birthday present (I got Harry a mini replica of a Quidditch pitch players included). I should be jealous that the Weasley's came into some money from the Wizard's lottery and they all went on a trip to Egypt to see Bill the eldest son.
I can't even wonder about all the cool things that Hermione's seeing in France for I'm stuck at home in a hostile environment with a man that I thought that I could trust with my life. Not to mention the murderous Azkeban residing uncle who has a chip on his shoulder because he could not kill my brother and me.
So yes the world can go and shove it for I'm not in the mood to play games and be all forgiving anymore.
"You know… Kingsley was only trying to protect us. Its not like he was trying to keep it from us to hurt us or anything. He was just worried that we'd be scared and not be able to live our lives anymore." Luka says hesitantly. I grit my teeth and glare off into the distance.
Luka may have a point, but that still doesn't excuse Kingsley's actions. He should have told us in the first place. Haven't people learned by now with Harry that keeping secrets never end well? "You weren't there Luka… you didn't see how he looked when he told me that our own uncle betrayed our family and started killing off our kin."
"Could you imagine turning on your own family like that? This is our grandfather and our parents that we're talking about. He just slaughtered them because he wanted to get in Voldemort's good favor and he did just that didn't he? I mean he was able to lead quite a few of his supporters to hunt us down." I tell my brother fighting against the stinging in my eyes.
Luka stays silent for a long time taking his glasses off to wipe the lenses clean. "Not everyone can be a good person Jamie. You should know that by now. A lot of the times bad things happen to good people for no reason. At least we know something important about our parents." Luka tell me turning to face me.
"What's that?" I ask fighting back the fresh batch of tears that want to break forth.
"We know that our parents were great people. How else would they have been able to fight off the Dark Lord and their own family? That must have taken guts and a whole lot of nobility. I think that we both understand how hard it is to go against family." Luka tells me a hint of pride and steel to his voice.
I look at my brother in a new light. He's not all about facts anymore. He's becoming much more insightful. Where is the time going? We're not young children anymore running around the house without a care in the world. The only monsters in the world were under the bed, and Kingsley dealt with the real criminals. Oh how much I would give for it to still be like it was back then.
"It still doesn't make up for the fact that he didn't tell us. I had to hear it from the memory of V-Voldemort! How in Merlin's name is that better than just telling me face to face? We're old enough to start handling the truth. The world isn't a nice safe place to live in anymore. I don't think that it ever was…" I trail off.
Luka gives me a long understanding look. "Come on Jame. Let's go back inside. You've been out here for hours and you're shivering. You won't be much good to your friends or me if you're dead from cold." My brother says cajolingly. I glance back at the house, and see that the shadow from the window is gone.
"Fine." I agree hesitantly. I wait for my brother to drop from the tree before I do the same. Once I'm on the ground and in easy reach, he wraps his arms around me tightly, and I bury my face into his chest allowing my angry and upset tears to break free. Luka runs his hand up and down my back while murmuring soft words to me.
"Its okay Jamie. Everything will work out okay. Just you wait and see. We're not alone in this world, we'll never be. We both have friends and people who care about us. I think Mrs. Weasley would have a word or two to say before anyone endangered our lives. And even if its hard to believe it at the moment we have Kingsley as well. We always have, and I think that we always will." Luka explains.
I nod my head soundlessly, and keep my arms wrapped around him for a little while longer. Finally I pull away from him, but grab Luka's hand before he can get too far away. I don't want to be alone at the moment, and especially not if I have to go back into the house where our guardian is lurking about. When we get back inside I shuck off my coat and feel a shiver run through me.
"Do you want cocoa? I think that its just the thing that we need after a tiring time outside in crazily cold weather for this time of year." Luka says cheerily his cheeks still tinged red like the tips of his ears along with his glasses being fogged. I chuckle at my brother's over the top enthusiasm. Its been a while since I've seen him like this.
"Can I have marshmallows as well brother dear since it seems to be the season?" I ask following him into the kitchen. I stop abruptly almost running into my brother for he's frozen looking at a note that is on the refrigerator in front of him. I peer a look over his shoulder to see what it says.
Dear kids,
I'm sorry that I will not be able to tell you this in person, but I got an emergency message from the Auror Department. There is a case in need of my immediate attention. I am sorry that I was not there to say goodbye. I feel awful considering how our summer has gone. The Weasley's have returned from your trip and are to arrive tomorrow to pick you up in order to get your things for school.
You will stay with them for the little remaining time of the summer. Be good, and please if there is anything that you remember, it is that I do love you.
Always yours,
Kingsley
I turn away from the not sharply. That just seems to be a running theme around here nowadays. The two of us are always alone, we always have been and we always will. Some things will never change.
That night my brother and I were up in my room huddled on my bed. We both are nestled snuggly in blankets with chocolate frog wrappings around us. In between us is the Wizards chess set that Ron and Harry had got me last Christmas. I still can remember the giant life size pieces from when we were trying to get to and protect the Sorcerer's Stone.
My brother and I have been sitting here playing chess for hours. I'm still not the greatest at this game, but Luka is rubbish at it. Its quite amusing actually that for a guy as smart as he is to not be able to play chess well is greatly amusing. My chess pieces don't want to be played with by him so they've taken to quoting Shakespeare that Kingsley has around the house.
He's interested in muggle literature but not to the point of obsession that Mr. Weasley has with all things muggle related. At the moment Luka's King and Queen are quoting their death scene in Romeo and Juliet together. It is quite entertaining to say the least.
"Blast it all! I don't understand how you can keep on moving your pieces that way! Its not fair its like you're cheating!" Luka grumbles throwing his hands into the air and sporting a nice pout. I grin at him and send my knight to checkmate his king. Instead of throwing his crown down Romeo drops dead from drinking his poison. I take it as my sign of victory.
"Luka I might not be the smartest or the best at this game but I have learned under the master at this game and even I can come away with some new skills." I say shooting a smirk his way. Luka rolls his eyes at me and falls back against the bed. Luka and I decided to have a sleepover in my room tonight after finding the letter from Kingsley.
Shortly after that we had gotten the evening post which featured a prominent article about a fairly frightening case. I glance over at the paper and shudder at the picture of the madman who has escaped and is now among us. I know that I shouldn't be afraid for this house is invisible to all who don't know about it but it is still a scary thought. I let my eyes roam back over the short article.
BLACK STILL AT LARGE
Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today.
"We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm."
Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis.
"Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it — who'd believe him if he did?"
While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse.
I can just tell that this is whom Kingsley is out trying to get now. I feel another shiver run down my spine and close my eyes tightly. Everything will be okay. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley will come to get us in the morning and then I will be back with people who care about me.
Not that Kingsley doesn't, I think… oh bugger it all this is all too much to think about in one night. Luka and I pack up the chessboard and take all the bigger blankets that we can find in order to make a blanket fort, so that we can sleep under. Childish I know but sometimes you need the extra, added comfort that earlier better memories can provide. I fall into sleep that night with the uncomfortable sensation that the world has is starting to become a dangerous place again.
The next morning Luka and I wake up early despite our reluctance to wake at first light on a summer day still. We fumble about packing our trunks together while still half asleep. Suddenly there was a noise from downstairs and before either of us could get too up in arms about it the scolding voice of Mrs. Weasley floated upstairs.
"Oh Arthur! We've probably scared the children half to death! Why couldn't you have just left that junk behind? This is not the time for another one of your muggle invention thingies!" Mrs. Weasley cries. I grin sleepily at my brother and we make our way down the steps and into our living room.
There stand Mr. Weasley looking rather sheepish with a large metal contraption on wheels and Mrs. Weasley with the beginning of steam coming out of her ears. They stop squabbling when they notice Luka and I standing there. "Oh Luka, Jamie dears!" Mrs. Weasley cries coming forward and throwing her arms around both of us tightly and squeezing us. Her grip is so tight that she shakes both of us back and forth in her arms.
"It is so good to see you." She tells us setting us back on the ground.
"Yes, we hope you've had quite a good summer?" Mr. Weasley asks. Luka and I look at each other nervously, not exactly sure about what to tell them. This summer hasn't quite been all that it was cracked up to be. We hadn't even seen much of Ariana since the escape of Sirius Black.
"All right." Luka says.
"Okay." I mumble. The Weasleys pass looks between each other but are all smiles a second later.
"Well let's get your trunks sorted out, so that we can get back to the children. I worry about what will happen if we leave them alone with just Percy for long enough… have you heard that Percy made Head Boy?" Mr. Weasley asks ushering us along and back up the stairs so that we can collect our trunks and be on our way.
Five minutes later both our trunks, Sophocles and Dionysus have been magicked away, and we're getting ready to go by floo powder. "So to the Burrow then?" I ask taking a pinch of the powder in my hand.
"No Jamie dear we're going to be staying in the Leaky Cauldron for a few days since school will be starting back up soon. No sense in having to make the long drive back to London that many times in a short while." Mrs. Weasley tells me placing her hand on my back and smiling at me softly.
With a grin I step into the fireplace. "The Leaky Cauldron!" I cry and throw my powder down. With a whoosh of green flame and a twirling sensation the vision of the Weasleys, my brother, and my home vanish into blackness.
When I open my eyes again it's to a familiar freckled face that I haven't seen in far too long. "Hello there Jamie!" Ron cries catching me as I throw my arms around his shoulders. Can I just say that it's good to be back?