The Voodoo Child
a/n: I own shit. I only own people you have no fucking clue where they came from.
Summary: Her name was Isabella, beautiful and unique. His name was Cedric, talented and strong. They're love was never ending. She grew up thinking she was someone else's daughter, but when the truth came out who she really was the wizarding world would be up in arms. When distant relatives come to stake their claim on the 16 year old, her world gets turned upside down.
Chapter Two: Love
Sirius Black could not sleep, his mind plagued by thoughts of his daughter and all that he missed out on. Remus had given him a picture that he had of her. Staring at his daughter's pale face for the first time since she was a little girl a flood of emotions came over him. She seemed happy. A bright smile graced her face as she gave a tall handsome boy a hug. Bella had his eyes, the way they used to be, bright, vibrant and full of life. Holding the picture in his hands he began to weep.
His little girl was no longer that, she was a beautiful young woman who had spent the bulk of her life never knowing that he was her father. Never knowing the love he had for her. How he gave up twelve year of his life because he wanted to protect her. His only hope was that when Isabella came to see Remus that she would hear him out.
Setting the photo down on a near by night stand he leaned back against the wall of Remus' spare bedroom. He wondered if she would love him again like when she was a small child? If he went to hug her would she move away? But more than anything he hoped that Snape hadn't turned his own daughter against him. Even though the man was his brother-in-law he still hated him more than any other human on the face of the earth. More than Voldemort, which was saying a great deal.
He held on to the hope his daughter was safe and waiting for him when he was in prison, that someone had her besides Severus. He wanted his daughter back, back in his arms safe from the world she had lived in these past thirteen years. Closing his eyes she laid back down, pulling the blankets over his head and pretended to sleep.
The next morning Isabella awoke in Cedric's bed alone. At first she wondered what she was doing there but after a few seconds she remembered the events of the previous night. Slipping out of bed her bare feet hit the cold wooden floor and she noticed her little kitten sleeping at the foot of her bed. She ran her hand across Nightmare's soft fur and took a deep breath. She would not waste any time and go to Remus today, forgoing the world cup.
Walking down the stairs she could smell eggs cooking and coffee brewing, how very different from home Bella thought with a small smile on her pale face. "Good morning," She greeted before walking over and giving Cedric a peck on the cheek and then giving Amos a hug. For her part she cared very much for Amos, he had saved her on many occasions but after last night she was more grateful that ever to have him in her life. Most people would have turned her away when she told them of her revelation, Amos wanted to help her, save her from Severus Snape.
"How are you Bella?" Amos asked cheerfully before handing her a plate of food and a cup of coffee. Amos knew a little about Bella's home life with Severus and didn't like the stories she told him. One story stuck out in his mind, when she was little how Severus locked her in her room because she wouldn't stop crying about a dead bird in the yard. He never really understood why Severus would lock his daughter away because she cried, but now knowing what Bella had told him about who she believed was her real father it didn't surprise him.
Bella sighed as she sat down next to Cedric, who was already finished, "I think I'm going to see Remus," Both Diggory men looked at the young woman with a look of shock on their faces. "I can't wait till after the cup, I'm so preoccupied with this mess that I have to straighten things out before I can function let alone have fun." Bella looked over at Cedric with a look of remorse and reached out to touch his face. "I'm sorry Ced."
"I don't think it's a good idea Bella, going alone." Cedric said softly before taking her hand and kissing it. "You don't know who's looking for you." Bella smiled and put her other hand on top of his and took a deep breath.
"I need to do this…" Her voice was soft and had this hint of doubt in it because Bella was worried about who was looking for her as well. Severus had many friends in the ministry least of all Lucius Malfoy, the man she grew up thinking was her godfather. It was common knowlage that Lucius wanted Isabella to marry Draco, claiming it would be the most sensational pure blood marriage in the last two hundred years. Now Bella realized why that would be so sensational, because of whom her father really was.
"She'll be fine Cedric," Amos reassured. "You have to remember that Bella is a very talented young witch and capable of defending herself if need be." Amos than looked over at Bella, "How will you be getting to Remus? Floo?" Bella nodded. "See Cedric she'll be fine, right there and right back."
Cedric nodded and let go of Bella's hands. "Well then dad I guess we should get ready, we really should have left an hour ago." Cedric kissed Bella then went upstairs to get changed. Soon after the two men were gone and Bella was alone in the house, sitting at the kitchen table with a plate of untouched food in front of her. Taking the plate and setting it in the sink she then went upstairs and changed out of her pajamas.
Grabbing her messenger bag and tossing it over her shoulder she went back down stairs and walked over to the fireplace. Taking a pinch of a gray powered she then threw it into the fire and then said Remus Lupin's address very clearly. In a matter of seconds she stood in Lupin's living room, yet no one was there.
"Hello…" Bella said softly looking around the living room hoping that he was home because she would feel incredibly stupid to come while Remus was out.
In the kitchen Remus was preparing a cup of tea, yet when he heard Bella's sing song voice call out he froze. He wasn't expecting her to show up so soon, Sirius was still locked in the spare bedroom. He should really be there for the conversation that was going to take place, tell his side of the story. Leaving the tea on the counter he walked out into the living room to see Isabella standing there, looking lost.
"Isabella…" He greeted warmly. "I wasn't expecting you so soon, but please sit. I have to go grab a few things but I'll be back with you in just a second ok." Bella could tell that he was a little bit frazzled but she just nodded and sat on an older brown leather couch, her hands folded in her lap.
Remus ran upstairs and knocked on the spare bedroom door, "Sirius…" Remus said softly. "Bella's here.. you need to pull yourself together and come down stairs!" He then hastily ran into his own room and pulled out an older black box labeled "Pictures", tucking it under his left arm he took a deep breath. He was glad Bella wanted to know about her family, but part of him wished he would never have to explain what happened to his goddaughter.
Making his way back down stairs he saw Bella sitting there, her eyes cast down at the ground. Remus knew that Severus had pretty much trained her to be seen and not heard, like any good Death Eater parent did. Aside from Cedric, Bella hung out with very few people at school. Draco Malfoy seemed to care a great deal about her but he doubt that Bella saw him as anything more than just a life long friend.
Sitting next to Bella, Remus turned at looked over at him with a some what somber look on his face. "I never wanted you to end up with your Uncle…" He said softly as he set the box on the floor. "I tried to get you right after Sirius went to prison, but because of my condition they would have never allowed me to take care of you, like your father and mother wanted."
Bella bit her bottom lip and looked up at Remus, "So Snape is my Uncle…" her voice was a little shaky and she was trying not to get too emotional but how could she not. Her whole life up to this point had been some elaborate lie. "So my mum, was his sister…" Remus nodded and reached down for the box.
"Her name was Joanna, she was a Ravenclaw like you. Very bright, very sweet. Sirius and her met through Harry's mother Lily. Lily was your mother's best friend, since childhood I believe, and your father loved her so much." Reaching into the box he pulled out a rather old picture of two women, one with long red hair and piercing green eyes and the other had wavy black hair down past her shoulders and eyes that were black as night. "That's your mum, when I first saw you in class last year I knew with out ever looking at your name, I just thought, that's my goddaughter." He looked at the photo of two of his best friends, both now dead and leaving their children behind to live lives that never wanted for them. After a moment he handed the picture to Bella. "You can keep it."
Taking the picture and looking upon it for near a minute, Bella relized how much she looked like her mum. She was beautiful, no wonder her father loved her. "She's beautiful…" Remus laughed and patted Bella's cheek.
"So are you," He paused for a moment as he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. "You and Cedric remind me so much of your parents. The fact that you two are going against Snape's wishes is so like your mother. She was set to marry Lucius Malfoy, did you know that?" Remus asked the girl, she shook her head.
"But she was already pregnant with you…" Came a voice from the door way, Bella looked up and saw him… her father… Sirius Black. Her eyes began to fill with tears and she stood up and ran over to him. Sirius locked his arms around his daughter petite frame and looked down at her. "I'm sorry Bella," He mumbled softly against her hair. "I never wanted you to end up with him, I couldn't find anyone else to care for you while I went to confront Peter…" He pulled her back so he could take a good long look at his now sixteen year old daughter. Her photo did her no justice, those eyes… his eyes, though filled with tears shined so brightly it was like looking into the past. "I didn't kill him Bella… I'm an innocent man." He chocked out.
Bella could say nothing, she turned away and looked over at Remus. Could her father be telling the truth, was he really an innocent man, wrongfully imprisoned in that horrible place. Looking at Remus for an answer, all her former professor had to do was nod.
"But mum, what happened to mum?" She asked softly. Sirius took his daughter's hand and led her back over to the couch. Sitting between Remus and her father Bella waited patiently to hear a story that she would perhaps regret asking to hear, but she needed to know.
"Like I said, in your mother's seventh year she found out she was expecting you," Sirius started, keeping a hold of his little girl's hand. "This caused a great deal of trouble for her, as the Princes… your grandmother's family and the Blacks, my family… had been at war for near two hundred years. The mere thought of us being together was bad enough to factor into my disownment but when news you were on the way, it seemed to seal your mother's fate. When you were born, it was the first time my mother had sent me an owl in nearly four years. She wanted you…" He paused and looked over at Remus to continue as Sirius was visibly shaken by relaying this tale.
"At the same time, your grandmother on your mum's side wanted to get a hold of you as well." Remus continued, "To both these families you were a prize to them. Not a child. In there minds whom ever possessed you… won. Not to mention that even the Dark Lord took an interest in where you would end up. A living, breathing symbol of pure blood triumph, see because the only long standing pure blood families that had never created a link were, the Blacks and Princes."
Bella had always thought she was just another kid, the only thing that she thought made her even a little special was the fact that she had visions, but obviously that was not the case. It is very strange to know that you were fought over as a baby, by two warring families who sought after you like you were some great treasure. Now she understood why Lucius Malfoy wanted her so bad, why her Uncle lied all those years… it was because she was a trophy. "What does that have to do with my mum dying?" As bright of a girl Bella was, she often lacked common sense.
"Everything…" Sirius said in a hushed tone. "She was killed because her family needed a way at you. I believe she was killed by your Uncle in order to get his hands on you in the event that something happened to me, which a year later did." Taking his daughter's other hand and making sure she was facing him, "I left you with your Uncle that day because Dumbledore said you would be safe with him… that he was no longer one of them… I trusted him, my trust I believe may have been misplaced."
"What about Remus? Where were you?" Bella asked looking back at her godfather for a moment.
"I was on a mission, I came back right after I heard of your father's arrest like I said. I tried for years to get you back, but by that time Snape had suppressed your memories of your father, mother and early life to convince you that he was your father." There was deep tone of guilt in Remus' voice, he seemed to blame himself.
"In less than a year Bella, you will inherit a great deal of money. Making you a very rich young witch, and certain families see that and want to get a hold of you to boost their every dwindling bank accounts. The Malfoy's for example… I would expect Lucius is trying desperately to get his hands on you when you come of age… but now that you know the truth. You can do as you please." Sirius explained. "Marry Cedric if you wish, in fact you have my blessing, the Diggory family is a good one. Amos is a good man and if Cedric is any thing like his father you would be in safe hands."
"I am…" Bella said softly thinking about the idea of her and Cedric marrying. Knowing the truth about how she came into the possession of her Uncle seemed to clear many thing up for the teenager but there was one question that loomed over her now. Will she remain a Snape… or take back her true name of Black?
