A/N: Hi, I know, it hasn't been a week, but I've been on a roll writing and decided to update sooner. As a warning, this chapter deals with abuse, and for anyone sensitive to the subject, you may not want to read. There are no graphic descriptions of abuse, but there is extensive discussion. Anyone who has read "Bound" will already know what has happened. Thank you to everyone who is reading, and special thanks to my betas, who were able to fix my language without diminishing the angst of the chapter. I don't own HP, but I do own a stuffed owl. No copyright infringement is intended, and the story is written for fun, not for profit. Thanks, MNF
Chapter 10:
Sisterhood
Saturday, October 6, 1979
Ginny POV:
I had been on pins and needles all day. Today was the first Hogsmeade day for the Hogwarts students. Today was the day that Anwen was to be attacked, at least according to the journal. I'd memorized the two entries about the attack over and over. The first is dated tomorrow, and all that Sirius wrote was " My sweet girl was attacked by Death Eaters. I want to kill someone for it." The writing was erratic, far less lyrical than Sirius' usual script. It made me sick to think about what could potentially be done to her today. I knew it had to be bad, because there was a second entry, dated four days from now. It's the only clue about what really had happened to her. Sirius' handwriting was still less controlled than the other entries had been, at least before he'd been in Azkaban anyway. The entry about the aftermath of the attack on her was devastating to read:
"Still no sign that Anwen's inside her body anymore. I've been able to coax her to eat a little, but her reactions are dead. I see nothing when I look into her eyes. I'm so lost without her. I can't believe that my own family would target a MY girl and do those things to her. Their issues are with me. The wounds to her body have nearly healed, but what the CC has done to her mind, we still don't know. The other things that they tried to do to her...her heart races and she shakes when J and R are near, she was even scared of DD. I want to rip someone apart for this, I want to tear limbs off and sink my canine teeth into them. Prongs doesn't know if he should just let me go, or keep me on house arrest. If it wasn't that I could be sent to jail for killing my brother and the rest of my kin, I would surely do it.
"I can't imagine going on without her. She's the light in my otherwise dark life. Her smile is the balm to all my pain. I swear she knows me better than I know myself. If I get her back, I will spend every day for the rest of forever letting her know that she is more precious to me than anything. Who knew that loving someone this way could hurt so bad?"
Those words had played over and over in my mind all day. Harry told me that he'd reminded Sirius to watch her very carefully when they were away from school today. We had outside information that Voldemort was very interested in her, so I felt justified in our actions. If I'd had my way, I would have been with her today, making sure she was safe as houses. Harry had insisted we'd done all we could.
I got up from the chair that I was sitting in, and started pacing the floor again. Harry was reading the sports section of the Daily Prophet.
"Ginny, they're going to charge us to replace the carpet if you keep walking the same path over and over. Sit down, you're making me barmy," he complained.
"Harry," I snapped at him, "they could be hurting her right now!"
"No, they couldn't," he snapped back, "everyone was due back to the castle two hours ago. It's nearly supper time. Speaking of which, what are we eating tonight?"
I put my hands on my hips and glared at him. "Why is it assumed that I'm going to do the cooking?" Harry didn't know what to say, and I knew that I wasn't upset at him, I was upset at the situation. I'd never been a very patient person. We stood there, staring at each other, but unsure what to say next.
Then a pop startled both of us out of our gaze.
Kreacher was standing about a foot away from us, ringing his hands together on the small cloth that he wore. He looked as if he'd been crying.
"Mister Harrison, Miss Regina, my Mistress has begged that you come with me at once. Something is very wrong with Master Regulus," he explained.
"What happened?"
"He arrived home at half past, going on and on that he hadn't been able to stop it, but what it was, we haven't been able to figure out," the elf explained. My stomach sank to the floor, and I felt like I might need to be sick. I felt certain that I knew what "it" was. I looked at Harry.
"I think that I can help. Let me grab my bag, and we can be off," I told the elf, wiping the tears from my face and eyes. I grabbed my handbag and Kreacher took each of us by the hand, and we were rapidly in the entryway at Grimmauld Place.
"He was supposed to stop it," we heard Regulus wail. "He was supposed to keep her safe today."
"Reg, sweetheart, please sit down," Mrs. Black responded, sounding nearly as distraught as her son. "Let me give you a draught to calm you down."
Harry and I could tell that they were in the drawing room, and we took off, running up the stairs as quickly as we could. The sight that greeted us was disturbing at best. Regulus had obviously been in some sort of fight. His school robes were torn, his face was smudged with black and his hair was wild. His eyes were wide and red, while his cheeks wore the tracks of tears that had fallen.
"I don't want to calm down, Mother. I just want to forget!" he screamed. I took a step toward him, holding out my hands in front of me, showing him that I had nothing to with which to do him harm.
"Regulus, it's me, Regina, I just want to look at your forehead," I explained. There was a gash along his hairline, and red blood had caked across the span of ivory skin. "You cut yourself, I just want to make sure that it's not bleeding any more." He nodded his assent to me.
I had more practice healing cuts and wounds than I'd like to admit. When students were taken at school this past fall, they were often only returned just before curfew by whomever had them. It was done on purpose, so that they couldn't go and see Madame Pomfrey or they'd risk getting another detention. With her help, we smuggled medical supplies into the houses, and she trained several of us to do basic first aid and healing in each house. I had become quite adept at handling these sorts of things.
I gently put my hand on Regulus forehead, and checked the wound. It had indeed closed, but it was going to leave a scar unless I fixed the way it had sealed itself. I reached behind me to take my wand out of my pocket, when Regulus flinched and pulled away from me, backing himself into a corner.
"Don't, don't take out your wand. No wands."
"Okay, no wands," I relented, showing him my empty hands in front of me. "Regulus, what happened today? Can you tell me?"
"No," he told me, shaking his head violently from side to side. "Don't want to talk about it. They hurt her...so badly."
I assumed that I knew the answer, and it made bile rise in my throat, but for the sake of his mother, I had to ask. "Who did they hurt?"
Regulus stared off into the distance, his eyes unfocused but still frightened. "Anwen," he whispered.
"Sirius' girlfriend?" Mrs. Black questioned. Regulus nodded at her.
"She wasn't supposed to be left alone today. He was supposed to stay with her. He was supposed to watch her today," he rambled as he rocked himself back and forth. I was beginning to get the impression that it wasn't just Anwen who'd been attacked. Someone did something to Regulus, I recognized his reactions all too well.
"I'm sure that there was a good reason why he left her," Harry spoke in a surprisingly calm and quiet voice.
"No," Regulus said, again shaking his head. "There was a diversion, it worked just like they'd planned." He wasn't really talking to us, more mumbling and rambling, but at least he was talking.
"Who planned?"
"Cousin Bella...Cissy," he said quietly. I heard Mrs. Black gasp.
"Our family attacked her?" she questioned as she slumped down into the chaise. There was silence in the room, all of us horrified in one way or another. I had to fight down the overwhelming urge to be sick over the situation. Mrs. Black was still holding the phial with what I assumed was the draught. I got up from my crouching position by Regulus, and went and got it from her, and then returned.
"Reg, please take this," I begged as I held out the small glass container. "We need to know what happened, and it will make it easier on you to talk about it." With a shaking hand, he reached over and took the potion, and drank it down. I sat down on the floor near him, but not touching him. Harry had moved over and was putting a protective hand on Mrs. Black's shoulder.
"I left school this morning," Regulus started, "a bunch of us were together. I hadn't made it very far on High Street when Bella showed up. She took me by the arm and dragged me behind one of the shops."
"What in heaven's name was Bella doing in Hogsmeade?" Mrs. Black asked.
"She was with her husband and his brother. Cissy's husband was there too," Regulus told us quietly. I looked over at Harry, we both knew that it wasn't a group of people that you would want to run into anywhere.
"We followed them all morning, but Sirius never let go of her. I was so thankful for that. He'd listened to the warning that you gave him. While they were eating, Bella was getting impatient, she was..." he stopped, his eyes looking fearful. "She wanted to hurt the girl, badly. She was in some sort of frenzy about it, and kissing that sick bastard that she married. It was unreal."
"Yeah, she's twisted alright," Harry added darkly. We were both aware of just how demented she was.
"They set up a small bomb at the end of the street and Sirius left her alone, they all did. When she was alone, they attacked. I'd already been warned that I had to go along with them, that the Dark Lord was getting suspicious of me. I tried not to," he told us, beginning to cry again. "Lucius was ripping at her clothes, and Bella was hexing her and laughing gleefully at the sight of what they were doing to Anwen. Then I felt it, someone put me under the Imperious and they made me torture her," he wept.
"Oh, my poor boy," Mrs. Black cried out, her own tears falling. She got up and moved quickly to cradle her son to her. I backed away, and left the two of them to weep. Harry wrapped his arms around me, and I finally broke down and cried, my sobs being muffled in his chest.
The room was still, save for the sounds of weeping. We stayed that way for a while, until Regulus finally had enough control to continue speaking.
"I fought the curse," he explained in a now hoarse voice. "It made Bella so angry. She was about to turn her wand on me when Jimmy Potter showed up. They all Apparated away, I don't know where they went, but I came here. Mum, they made me help them. What am I going to do?"
"You're not going back to school," she said resolutely. "That will be the first place that the Aurors will look for you. You're safe here, no one can find the house unless we want them to. Kreacher." With a soft pop, the house elf was here. "Go to Hogwarts and collect all of Regulus' things and bring them here. Thank you." Another soft pop and he was gone.
The draught must have taken full effect, because Regulus was willing to stand and come sit down on the couch. His mother sat next to him, keeping a protective arm over his shoulders.
"Reg," I said quietly, "what happened to Anwen?"
"I'm not sure. Jimmy showed up, followed by his wife. He ran to her, but that's the last I saw. I would think that she needed to go to St. Mungo's." I nodded in understanding.
We were all quiet for a moment. I was struggling to digest what I'd just heard. Sirius had never fully explained Anwen's wounds in his journal. I felt certain that I understood why now, they were so much worse than I'd expected. Kreacher popped back in, telling us that Regulus' things were now in his room. Mrs. Black nodded and dismissed him. It felt like we were all moving in slow motion, like we were in a giant pool and the air around us was providing resistance so that we had to push our bodies just to make the slightest motion. As hard as I tried, I couldn't stop imagining what that poor girl had gone through. My body ached with the pain, my brain let forth a torrent of memories that I had struggled to keep hidden for the last six years and my heart broke for her as well as for my eleven year old self again.
"I need to go to her," I finally was able to voice my desire. Harry nodded, I think that he expected this.
"Will you be okay if we leave?" he asked Regulus.
"Yeah, just let me know how she is." Harry nodded. We were both standing to leave, when we heard a commotion downstairs. Mrs. Black immediately rose and went to the landing outside the drawing room.
"Mistress Bella," we heard Kreacher yell. "I haven't had a chance to announce you." He'd just done a fine job of it. His comment was followed by a thwack and a yelp.
"Out of my way," she bellowed, "this is the Black family home, and I am a Black. I do not need to be announced."
"I've got to get out of here. If she finds me, she's going to take me to the Dark Lord. He'll kill me for not following orders, even if they were only hers," Regulus looked terrified as he spoke.
"Come on, I'll take you to my flat," Harry said. "She doesn't even know who I am, so you should be safe there until we can figure something else out. Gin, you coming?"
I shook my head at him as I spoke, "I want to go to St. Mungo's. I'll be back when I can." Harry grabbed Regulus by the arm, and they Disapparated away, just as Bella reached the landing. She looked different from how she had in the future. Here, she was still a remarkably beautiful woman. Her dark hair was pulled into an intricate twist on her head, and pinned back with jewel encrusted combs. She wore a dark red set of robes, all done in a rich damask with black lace accents. A huge blood-red teardrop ruby hung around her neck. The biggest difference was in her face. Her skin was as smooth as china, her lips were thick and red and her eyes had a smoky, piercing quality to them.
"Where is he?" she screamed.
"Where is who?" Mrs. Black responded calmly.
"Your son! I have an urgent issue to discuss with him!"
"I haven't seen either of my children in quite a while. Regulus left for school on September 1, and Sirius hasn't been by since August. I asked him not to return on that visit." I knew that was a bold-faced lie. When Sirius had left that day, she pleaded with him to come and visit again, telling him that he was deeply missed.
"I was certain that he was here," she said while scanning the room. I fully expected her to start lifting cushions and opening cabinet doors to search for him. Her eyes locked in on mine. "Who are you?"
"Bella," Mrs. Black said calmly, "this is a member of the Society from India. Regina Parker, my niece, Bellatrix Black Lestrange." I held my hand out and braced myself for her to touch it. I couldn't cringe, no matter how much I wanted to. Bella ignored the action and went back to looking at the room.
"Whole thing is a waste of time if you ask me," she muttered. "Fine, if you see Regulus, tell him that I'm looking for him. He'll know why." With that, she blew out of the room. I felt like I could breathe again. Mrs. Black motioned to be quiet, until Kreacher appeared, announcing that she'd left, and that he'd closed the floo.
"Kreacher, you remember where my brother Alaphard had his secret cabin, right? The one where I sent the boys when they were children?"
"I do, Mistress."
"Go to Harrison and Regina's flat and take Reg there, and then come and get his things. The only ones who know where it is are you and I and the boys."
"Yes, ma'am," he answered and was gone. I slumped down in the closest chair, I felt like my body was drained of all energy; unfortunately, there was still something that I had to do.
"Regina, I would like to accompany you to the hospital, but I think that it would be best for us to wait until first light," Mrs. Black spoke quietly. "This girl is the love of my eldest son's life, and she was attacked by my own family. I need to go and make amends with both Sirius and her." Walburga Black never ceased to amaze me.
"I agree ma'am. It sounds as if they were going to have a fair bit of trauma work to do tonight, anyway," I replied sadly, shaking my head. Mrs. Black suggested that we might both like a spot of tea, and since Kreacher was gone, she asked if I'd follow her down to the kitchen on the basement level. She quickly brewed us some, and I didn't object when she slipped a small amount of brandy into the cups as well. The taste of it reminded me of sitting with Anwen a little over a month ago, which made me sadder.
Kreacher returned, saying that Harry was staying with Regulus tonight, just to help him keep watch. Mrs. Black suggested that I spend the night at Grimmauld Place, rather than go home to an empty flat. It was late and I was spent, so I acquiesced. Remarkably, I was led to the same room that I had shared with Hermione the summer that we spent here with Sirius. I laid down in bed and wept myself to sleep, hating the fact that I hadn't done more to save Anwen from this hell.
I wasn't surprised that I awoke early the next morning. Mrs. Black had lent me a nightgown, which while a little large, was quite comfortable. Kreacher must have cleaned my clothes, as I found them neatly piled on the vanity stool across the room. I got up and got dressed, admiring the woodwork of the vanity table and mirror. It hadn't been here when Hermione and I shared the room summers ago. There was a silver handled brush and comb on a tray on the vanity top, so I stopped to brush my hair and look at my face.
"Guess it's as good as it's going to get today," I sighed before heading out of the room. I walked down the hall, and passed what I guessed was the master bedroom. The door was open, and Mrs. Black was there, apparently in deep thought in the small sitting area. She had something she was fingering between her hands. The floor creaked and she looked up, stuffing whatever it was into the pocket of her robes as she rose.
"Please tell me that you at least got a few hours of sleep last night?" she asked with a gentle, motherly tone.
"I did, thank you. I left the gown that I borrowed on the bed upstairs."
"That's fine, doing a little wash will give Kreacher something to do today, other than walk around and polish things that don't need to be polished," she quipped. "Come on, I asked him to make breakfast for us. There's nothing too fancy, but I never use the dining room anymore, so I thought that we could have a spot to eat before we left."
"That would be lovely, thank you," I answered. I was hoping that she wasn't expecting me to eat a full English this morning, the thought of it made my stomach roll. We went down the two flights of stairs to the entry floor, and went into the dining room that ran the length of the building. Inside there was a huge dinner table, with a beautiful inlay of a constellation in the middle. I immediately recognized it as Orion.
"My husband had it made for me as a wedding gift," Mrs. Black quipped in a rather irritated voice. "I have every intention of having the inlay redone." She indicated that I should sit down, and then she sat across from me. When she was on the seat, a platter of toast, a selection of jams and marmalades, tea and juice appeared before us.
"I hope that you don't mind a small breakfast?" she asked. "I can't stomach a full meal in the morning."
"No, this is perfect, thank you," I told her, reaching over for a slice of the toast. "After watching my brothers with the bangers and eggs, I've lost my taste for them."
"Ah, yes, watching boys eat can be...unappetizing." I cracked a smile for the first time today at her description. Unappetizing would definitely be seeing Ron eat anything.
We ate quickly, and then we were off. We Disapparated from the back porch of Grimmauld, which I didn't even know existed. We'd never been allowed in the yard when we'd been here. Mum was concerned about what was growing back there. We entered St. Mungo's through the visitors' entrance, and went to the welcome desk.
"Wally, what are you doing here this early?" a redheaded witch asked from behind the desk. I guessed that she was at least as old as Mum, maybe even older.
"I'm headed up to see Anwen Hodgson, Gertie. Is she on four?"
"She is," Gertie explained. "I was here yesterday when they brought her in. Sirius looked nearly as bad as she did. He came close to passing out, and then...well, it was a good thing when Julia's son, um, what's his name again?"
"James," Mrs. Black answered quietly.
"Yes, when James and that other friend of theirs took him away," the welcome witch finished her story, and then looked down at a parchment. "There's been no change in her status."
"Very well then, we'll be heading up. Which room is she in?"
"Four-oh-eight."
"Thank you," we both said, and then we went to the lifts. As the doors closed, Mrs. Black turned to me.
"It won't say it anywhere when we get up there, but it's somehow fitting that Anwen ended up on the floor that my dear friend Julia created and funded."
"Mrs. Potter?"
"Yes, she worked tirelessly with girls who had been attacked. She would sit with them, bring them new clothes and treats to eat. She never thought that they should be in the general population, since most of them were suffering from shock and panic still. It's always been a favorite," she paused, "sport of the Death Eaters to attack young girls. Julia was horrified when she learned just how many there were. The ward that you're going to see, she created it. The rooms are comfortable and private, and the staff that works up here are all trained to work with trauma victims."
"Wow," I muttered, "I had no idea." If I didn't then I was sure that Harry didn't either. We were finding new things out about his family all the time.
"Julia considered Anwen her future daughter-in-law, just as much as I hope to one day call her my daughter. I was always thankful that my best friend loved my sons as much as she did," she told me sadly. Things that I always thought I had understood now seemed less clear. It's little wonder that Mrs. Potter took Sirius in when things fell apart at home. She already thought of him as her son.
We stepped off the lift, and Mrs. Black knew to turn to the left. We were headed down the hall when Professor McGonagall nearly knocked us over.
"Mimi, where are you going so fast?" Mrs. Black asked her.
"Wally," the professor said, sounding and looking shocked to be seeing someone we knew was an old friend. "I was um," she stammered, playing with her hair. It was her tell. The action let me know that she was uncomfortable. I'd seen her do it when talking with Ron before the Yule ball about his dress robes, and nearly every time she was in a room with Umbridge. "I ah, I have to go and see Albus."
"Oh, is everything alright?" Mrs. Black asked, putting her hand on the other woman's arm. "Is it about Anwen?"
"What do you know about that?" Professor McGonagall snapped, very surprised that we knew anything at all.
"Well, I don't know what you've heard, but we know about the attack. Reg came home yesterday in a near panic over the ordeal."
"Oh, well I should think that he would!" This was also an attitude that I recognized from Professor McGonagall, she was incensed.
"Mimi, I know that he was there, and I know that he tortured her; but I also know that he was forced to do it. Please, let me explain what I know," Mrs. Black pleaded, and the professor relented. Mrs. Black started to tell the tale, but before she got too far along, I excused myself and went down to the room. Anwen was lying in the bed, and next to her was another redheaded woman, reading a book. This one I recognized, even if I'd only seen her in pictures.
I was face to face with Lily Potter.
"Um, hello," I said quietly as I entered, not wanting to scare her. "I'm Regina Parker. I'm a friend of Anwen's."
"Oh, yes," Lily said, getting up. "She told me about you and your husband. Please, come in. Anwen, look, your friend Regina is here." Lily brushed the hair away from Anwen's face as she spoke to her. There was no response from Anwen. Lily then turned to me and offered me her hand. "I'm so happy to meet you."
"The pleasure is all mine," I told her, and it was the absolute truth. Lily pulled me away from the bed, and began speaking in hushed tones.
"She blurted something out just a few minutes ago, but then she turned silent again. Anwen, she..." Lily paused, clearly thinking very hard about something. "When she gets upset, she gets very quiet. We've all seen her go for days without speaking to anyone. This...it feels different. Even when she screamed out, she didn't look at me, she was looking through me." Tears were gathering in Lily's eyes, and I could feel just how close she and Anwen were. I put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.
"I have some experience with things like this, would you mind if I talked to her?" I asked.
"Not at all, in fact, I really need to use the loo. Would you mind if I slipped out while you're here?"
"Absolutely not, go on, maybe even get yourself something to eat."
"Thank you," she said quietly, before going over and telling Anwen goodbye, promising that she'd be right back. I took Lily's seat next to Anwen, and reached out for her hand.
Anwen's right arm was in a stabilizing charm, the opalescent white glow around it was familiar while the shoulder joint looked swollen and sore. A red raw scar fell across her face, from her temple on the left side, to just under her right eye. She'd been dressed in pale lavender pajamas, but only a few of the buttons on the top had been secured. Another, much longer curse burn was on her abdomen, as well as bruises that looked like hand prints. Her hair had been brushed and pulled into a long, twisted ponytail that hung over to her right side, away from both the facial scar and her immobilized shoulder. She looked small, pitiful and broken.
"Hi, Anwen, it's Regina," I started. "I had hoped that the next time I saw you we'd be talking about school and boys; maybe even do a little shopping. I didn't want to see you like this," I continued. I could feel the tears pricking at my eyes.
"Anwen, I know how you feel," I explained. "When I was eleven, in my first year of school, something horrible happened. I was given something, a diary," I choked on the word. "When I had the diary, the boy who owned it could get inside my head." I hadn't told anyone the whole story, the closest that I came was with Bill, and that was all those summers ago when we'd go hiking through the desert in Egypt.
"The things he told me, the things he made me do..." I whispered, letting my mind flood with all the memories that I had fought against for so many years. "Anwen, he made me feel like I wasn't worth anything...he convinced me that no one really cared about me." I stopped talking and wiped the tears from my face.
"One night he lured me away, into the dungeons of our school. He had every intention of killing me there, but first, he wanted to have some 'fun'. He touched me, and tried to kiss me, and when I refused..." I had to stop to try to fight the urge to be sick all over her. The room suddenly felt cold, and I could hear the blood racing through me. The sound had nearly cancelled everything else out. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard, convincing myself that I was stronger than the memories. I thought of Harry, of how he'd held my hand and helped save me, and I could feel my heart slow down and my skin begin to feel less clammy. "When I refused, he hexed and cursed and finally tortured me until I was passed out cold.
"I think that I was close to dying there, because I seemed to float out of my own body, and was able to watch what happened around me. I wasn't in pain anymore, and my head was finally quiet. I was so thankful for that," I explained, beginning to feel better and more confident in my retelling. "I would have stayed there, maybe even moved on, except that Harrison came and saved me." A smile crossed my face at the memory of Harry being happy that I woke up. It was the first time that I ever let myself hope that he would someday love me too.
"I know that you think you're safe, wherever it is that you're hiding, but I promise you, it's okay to come back out and see us. Anwen, Sirius needs you. I could see it in his face the first time that I saw the two of you together. Without you and your love, his life will be..." how much could I say? I wasn't sure what she'd remember if or when she awoke. "Without you, Sirius will get lost and become bitter and jaded. Come back to him, come back to all of us." I thought again for a moment, trying to pinpoint what the hardest part of my recovery had been. It wasn't the wounds or the physical healing, those were taken care of in a few days. Anwen had sustained much more serious injuries than I had, but she was indeed healing. I pondered that for a minute, and then knew that I needed to open up to her, completely.
I brushed my hand across her cheek, careful to stay well clear of the scar on her face. Her skin was so soft and pale and horribly cold. I took another deep breath, and then gathered the strength to tell her something that I had never admitted to anyone, not my brother or my best friend or even my husband. I barely admitted it to myself.
"When the boy...when he did things to me, it made me feel so dirty. I hated myself that I'd let him do it, that I hadn't fought harder, that I hadn't been strong enough to make him stop. I couldn't look at myself in the mirror, much less anyone else. I was convinced that no one would ever want to love me or even touch me after what happened. I felt like they could all see his dirty hand-prints all over my body," I explained. "But I was wrong."
"I didn't ask for it, and I certainly didn't want it. I finally forgave myself, and do you know why?" I stopped, hopeful that there would be some answer from her, but there wasn't. "I was able to forgive myself, because someone loved me. Anwen, this isn't your fault, and it doesn't change who you are. Sirius is waiting for you, we all are, please come back." I was crying again, and I didn't see Mrs. Black in the doorway until she cleared her throat to draw my attention to her.
"Please forgive me for eavesdropping," she asked as she entered the room. I wiped my face off and stood, offering her the chair. She shook me off, instead going to the rocker that was on the other side of the room. "I didn't mean to, but I found what you were saying far too compelling. I understand more fully why you're here and why you want to fight against the Dark Lord." I wondered if I'd said too much. I would have to be careful about what else I said in her presence, lest I should give myself away.
"It was a long time ago, but sometimes, it feels like it was yesterday," I told her.
"Child, that feeling never goes away," she said sadly. "My husband was...cruel. Our marriage was arranged and I never felt anything toward him. He believed in the old ways, that wives did what their husbands told them, that I was there to be used however he desired. The things that he did to me, to our children," she told me, looking away from me, and out to the magical window behind me. "He's dead in the ground, but those memories still haunt me." She stopped speaking, but I could still feel her pain. Here we were, three women who'd all been attacked and violated in one way or another, trying to comfort each other. It was a horrific sisterhood of pain that we were inducting Anwen into.
"I'm glad that love saved you, Regina," Mrs. Black said quietly. "I can only hope that it can be the same for Anwen." I nodded in agreement. We sat quietly for a minute, saying nothing. I continued to hold Anwen's hand and stroke it for reassurance that we were still there.
A minute later, Lily walked through the door, stopping in her tracks at seeing Mrs. Black.
"Mrs. Black, what are you doing here?" she asked skeptically.
"I heard what happened to Anwen. I came to see if there was anything that I could do, or any way that I could help," she told the younger woman quietly. The rage in Lily's face registered before she said a word. She determinedly walked over to Mrs. Black and stood in front of her.
"You can start by turning your younger son into the Ministry. He's the one that did this to her," Lily spoke in a harsh whisper. Mrs. Black stood, and then two were now face to face.
"I know that you believe that Regulus is responsible for what happened to Anwen, but I can assure you, he did not participate of his own free will," she replied tersely.
"That isn't what Anwen told me this morning."
"I know, but I have already spoken with Minerva," Mrs. Black stopped and took a deep breath. "My niece, Bellatrix, Imperioused Regulus into helping them. He was a victim too."
"How do I know you're not lying to save your son's arse? I know some of the things you did to Sirius. James has been very forthcoming with me."
"I swear to you on my mother's grave, as much as I love my boys, if they did something like this, I would not be protecting them," Mrs. Black vowed, her face filled with fury.
"Lily," I spoke up, "I saw him last night. He wasn't...right. He wanted nothing to do with this. Weeks ago, he'd tried to warn us about the need to keep Anwen safe. Voldemort is interested in her for some reason."
"What in the world could Voldemort want with a sixteen year old girl?" I shook my head at her. "Regulus really didn't do this to her?"
"Only what he was forced to do, and I don't think that he can be held responsible for those actions," I replied.
"He can't," Lily added, looking forlorn. "Where is he now?"
"He's in hiding," Mrs. Black explained. "The last that we knew, Harrison, Regina's husband, was with him. He's safe, there are only a few of us who know the location of the place he's at." Lily nodded.
"Okay. Has there been any change in her?" I shook my head again. "She hasn't spoken again?"
"Sorry, I'm not even sure that she knows we're here," I explained.
"Dammit!" It was odd to hear Lily swear. In my mind, I had built her up to be a perfect saint. Turns out that she was a regular person. I wasn't sure how Harry would take to that idea. I was roused from my ruminations by Sirius bursting through the door, followed by James. My heavens, Harry is a duplicate of his Dad.
"Anwen, Winnie sweetheart, I'm here," Sirius said as he rushed to her side. I got up from the chair, but he didn't sit, instead he knelt down beside her, staring into her open but unresponsive eyes. "Hello my beautiful little one, I was so worried about you yesterday. You have a promise to keep to me, remember? You told me that you'd never leave me, not after I almost lost you two years ago. Don't scare me that way ever again my love. Come on now, love, show me that you're in there."
His hand caressed her face, and then his lips ghosted over hers. It was breathtaking to watch them together, it was as if his love for her was alive in the room, moving about them as a misty haze. I felt uncomfortable to be there, like there was this intensely private conversation going on between them, though no words were spoken. Anwen didn't move a muscle, but her eyes drifted from the wall to Sirius' face. He smiled with a joy I had never seen in him before.
"That's my girl," he whispered before gently kissing her again. "You're going to be just fine, my love. Everything is going to be just fine." With that, he stood, gently lifted her upper body and slid into the bed with her, gingerly holding her so that her injured shoulder would not be hurt. When he was comfortable, and she was securely surrounded by him, he looked up.
"Regina," he said, slightly surprised, "Mother?" he asked very surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"I heard about what happened," Mrs. Black answered quietly. "I wanted to see if there was anything I could do for the two of you." Sirius looked at her, shocked and surprised.
"I didn't think...I mean, she's not...I figured you'd be against my relationship with her. I thought she'd be unacceptable to you," Sirius said quietly.
"Sirius, son," she said walking over to him and putting a hand on his cheek, "while I would have preferred to keep the family bloodline pure, or at least less muddled, I will not subject you to an arranged marriage. No one in the Black family has made a decent match for their children since my grandmother and grandfather were matched. I would never wish the pain of my life on you." She leaned down and kissed his forehead. "And, if I had any doubts about the two of you, watching you a moment ago would have dispelled them completely. Everyone who knows her, speaks highly of her; not only as a witch, but as a person as well. I doubt I could ask for more in a wife for you." Sirius just stared at her.
"I don't know what to say."
"Don't say anything," she answered. "I do have something for her, if you'll permit me to give it to her. I think that it will help her to be safe, when you're away from her."
"Um, alright," he answered. I could tell that he was still trying to wrap his brain around the idea that his mother was accepting of his relationship with a Muggle-born witch. I could not figure out how this gentle woman had turned into the bitch from the portrait. There had to be a story there. Perhaps something else that could be corrected by our being back in time.
Mrs. Black reached into her pocket, and pulled something out that was attached to a long chain. She placed the item in Sirius' hand, and he stared at it. "I wasn't sure if you still wore yours? Hers is nearly identical, except for the rune in the center, and a variation in the inscription."
"I never take it off," he explained as he reached inside of his shirt and pulled it out. I stepped closer so that I could see it. It was a round amulet, with a four pointed star surrounding the runic letter, ansuz. The four points of the star were made out of what looked like different colored gemstones: red, green, blue and yellow. Sirius let it slide back to his chest while he looked at the one that his mother had made for Anwen.
"I wasn't ever any good in Runes class, Mother. Anwen's the one that excels at languages. Which rune is this?"
"Gebo, it's the rune for love and giving," Mrs. Black explained.
"That's the perfect way to describe her," he said quietly, turning her amulet over in his hand, "Sirius omnipotens, diligo servo, that isn't the same as mine, is it?"
"No, yours reads "Sirius omnipontens, verum flucio, Sirius all powerful, truth uphold. Hers is a little different. The translation means "Sirius all powerful, love protect. If someone is really after her, then you may be the only thing that can save her from death. I soaked the necklace in a potion this morning, to help heal her. Borage, catnip, nasturtium, parsley, sage and honey."
"While I wouldn't want to drink it," Lily said, "all of those things should help fortify her, Sirius. It's very similar to the ingredients in a strengthening potion. You didn't do well in Potions, either." Sirius slipped the amulet over Anwen's neck, and kissed her cheek again.
"Thank you, Mum," he said thoughtfully.
"You're welcome, my son." Mrs. Black again kissed his head. I thought that Anwen would smile when she came to know that something good had come from all of this. She seemed like the kind of person who would look for a silver lining in even the darkest of clouds.