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**Speaking through the mind: Bold Italics.
Chapter 10:
Sirius Black was not a patient man. He was famously known as the hot-headed, brash, rebellious, impatient and loud member of the Marauders. That Halloween night, when Voldemort murdered the Potters, Sirius unrestrainedly searched for the traitorous rat, when he should have taken the time to visit Dumbledore, inform him about the change in Secret Keepers and take custody of his goddaughter. Also, when Sirius discovered the traitorous rat's survival from the newspaper clipping while imprisoned in Azkaban, after he succeeded in escaping, he should have sent a memory of that night to Dumbledore or at least, Madam Bones. Instead, the brash Marauder broke into Hogwarts, destroyed the portrait of the Fat Lady, held a knife over Ronald Weasley's sleeping form and then kidnapped the golden trio into Shrieking Shack.
Sirius Black was not a patient man; he was in fact immensely impatient, excruciatingly so, that once he was forcibly restrained, he would morph into an obnoxious, loud and insufferable man.
Currently, said Marauder was pacing dizzying footsteps around the Headmaster's office, snarling and mumbling heatedly to himself, his grey eyes turning stormy whenever he looked up to see the Headmaster sitting in his chair with a pleasantly serene expression on his wizened face; in fact, the only significance indicating Albus Dumbledore's ire, was the soft blue eyes, hardened to resemble ice and devoid of the usual good-natured twinkling.
The reason this time for Sirius' impatience was over witnessing Lux-Vita's memory of the tragic night; Dumbledore adamantly insisted they await Snape's arrival from Voldemort, and the Marauder lacked any patience, especially when related to his beloved pup.
"Ah," Dumbledore was the first to break the stifling silence, his hardened eyes locked onto the closed door, "Severus has arrived."
"About bloody time," Sirius snarled, ceasing his vertiginous pacing and he too, stared expectantly at the door.
The Death Eater turned spy barged through the door without a word and slumped onto the offered seat, his face blankly impassive, displaying no emotion whatsoever except for his trembling hands. Without waiting for the obvious question, he gritted out, "The Dark Lord is overjoyed I have your utmost trust. He believes me to be his spy and accepted me into the inner circle."
"Marvelous," Dumbledore smiled jovially, ignoring Sirius' disbelieving scoff, "Well then, let us put our minds at ease and witness the memory Lux-Vita has-"
"I have no desire to witness the memory, Dumbledore," Severus suddenly barked, his already sallow face turning even more pallid, giving him the striking resemblance of the Bloody Baron.
"Are you kidding me?!" Sirius finally blew his lid off, "We have been waiting an hour for your return to watch it and now you say you don't want to!"
"Yes, Black. I. Don't. Want. To," Severus enunciated firmly, his onyx eyes hardening with rage, "The Dark Lord, though injured by Potter, wasted no time in gloating over his actions. I would rather not witness the detestable actions; listening to him gloating was vile enough."
The genuine disgust in Snape's voice managed to shock Sirius speechless, merely nodding and facing the pensieve patiently, for once. Sending one last bewildered glance at the double spy, Dumbledore carefully dropped the pearly white memory into the pensieve and both men plunged inside.
Watching the light leave Lux-Vita's eyes and her will to live was excruciatingly painful for both men to witness; her disinterest with Voldemort's rebirth, unfazed and emotionless emerald eyes locked onto Cedric's lifeless body caused them turmoil and Sirius leaked out a few painful tears of despair. That Peter Pettigrew, the once best friend of the Marauders turned traitorous rat, murdered Lux-Vita's fiancé and tied her onto the tombstone, giving aid to Voldemort incensed Sirius, but when the rat inflicted a large gash onto his pup's arm and forcibly took her blood, caused him to erupt, spewing curses in many different languages, threatening a long and painful death.
Dumbledore was silent throughout the events, his fists clenching and unclenching, mouth pursed into a grim line and blue eyes dilating with extreme rage while the Marauder vented his anger out loud. They both turned silent and listened judiciously as Voldemort began a long tirade, especially with the arrival of the few Death Eaters who managed to escape Azkaban, gloating over his survival and ability to escape death.
"I was ripped from my body, I was less than spirit, less than the meanest ghost … but still, I was alive. What I was, even I do not know … I, who have gone further thananybody along the path that leads to immortality."
Those words made a huge impact on Dumbledore and his eyes narrowed in thought, the meaning behind those simple words carelessly thrown out, initiating his ingenious mind to whir over the several implications and possibilities.
Unfortunately, his mind turned blank, mouth agape upon witnessing Voldemort's crudely vile actions play out, and Sirius dropped onto his knees, stormy eyes transforming into a blank, deadened state; both men could do nothing but silently watch as the vilest, most evil Dark Lord defiled the grieving Lux-Vita in the most despicable way adjacent to her dead fiancé's dead body. Watching in horror as Voldemort cast countless Cruciatus Curses on her while defiling her had Sirius expelling his insides, hurling all over the ground with a constant stream of tears cascading down his gaunt face.
Dumbledore closed his eyes in pain, a hand over his chest, disbelief and revulsion rippling throughout his body; never before had he witnessed such a vile act displayed with his own two eyes; Tom's evil truly knew no bound. Now the two men understood why Lux-Vita seemed dead and immobile, other than her fiancé dying right before her eyes, she was raped and tortured in the most abhorrent fashion with countless of witnesses jeering. It was glaringly obvious to them why Lux-Vita lost the will to live.
But still, she prevailed, displaying impressive valor against Voldemort.
With acromantula poison in her system, grief taking over her body, loss of blood, excruciatingly raped, and victim to innumerous amounts of the torture curse and still, she fought off the Dark Lord's powerful Imperius Curse without flinching.
Pride engulfed the two men; pride when she met the other side of Voldemort's wand with a brave face, and then awe hit them when they witnessed the Priori Incantatem take place. Seeing James and Lily brought Sirius once again to his knees; even in death, the two brave parents protected their daughter.
Sinister glee took effect when they observed Lux-Vita adamantly harming Voldemort before she left, blowing off a chunk of his stomach before disappearing with Cedric from the graveyard, Voldemort's scream of rage and pain echoing in their ears before they were regurgitated from the pensieve and into the familiar office of the Headmaster.
Silence engulfed the room as both men stared impassively at Severus Snape's hollow face and Sirius threw up once again on the ground before the Headmaster deftly vanished it with the causal flick of his wand.
Staring agonizingly at the opposite wall, Sirius remained by the ground on his knees and spoke in a hollow voice, "You were smart not to watch the memory, Snape. It was … horrible," he croaked, "So, so, devastating. That sick bastard!" His body began wracking with sobs, arms hugging himself unable to maintain eye contact with anyone.
"I hoped the Dark Lord was merely gloating," Snape whispered; and he did, but the expression on Dumbledore and Black's face unfortunately proved him wrong. His fists clenched; the Dark Lord defiled his precious Lily's daughter in an abhorrent way … now more than ever, he wished to obliterate that abomination. Hatred toward James Potter's spawn aside, he wouldn't wish such harm upon his worst enemy.
Once Severus returned to his room, Albus and Sirius hastened their way over to the Hospital Wing to confront the grieving girl, however they paused in their steps, agape when their eyes met Lux-Vita's bloody form.
"Pup! Pup! What happened to you?!" Sirius yelled, ambling over to her side, the Headmaster not far behind. Lux-Vita was dressed in a weird archaic assortment of clothes, her ruby red hair marred with mud and twigs as well as her pale skin. White tunic pooled with crimson.
"Where did you get these clothes from and why are you drenched in blood and muck?" Albus asked when Sirius' question received no reply.
Lux-Vita shakily stared at both men in confusion and tilted her head to the side, "How long have I been gone?" Her inexplicable question had them trade bewildered looks, unable to comprehend what Lux-Vita meant.
"Gone? Pup, we left you two hours ago. What are you talking about?" Sirius whispered.
And then, Lux-Vita explained to them in a measured tone that she had transported herself into this weird land called Middle Earth over a month ago. Meeting the Grey Wizard, Gandalf, a hobbit, Bilbo and twelve dwarves, before finally informing them about an elf-witch named Galadriel and her being the Keeper of the Realms, Earth and Middle Earth, passed on from her mother's side.
It was a lot to swallow; an information overload after having just witnessed the memory in the pensieve, but both men took it in stride.
"I believe I have read old tomes about there being innumerable worlds out there, my dear. You will need to be trained in combat for the future. However, I believe it best that none of what you have divulged leave this room," Albus warned.
"I always believed there was something more to Lily, something special," Sirius smiled fondly, before his eyes narrowed onto her blood drenched form, "But why are you covered in blood?"
"I-I, the magic in Middle Earth was potent in the air, and I sensed darkness following me. I-I, Sirius I was pregnant with Voldemort's child," Lux-Vita gasped out, tears rapidly falling down her face. Sirius stiffened, eyes widening as he slumped down on the chair beside her, while Dumbledore gaped, tortured eyes never leaving her form. "I killed it. Stabbed my stomach, and I died. I saw C-Cedric before Galadriel brought me back," she whispered in between broken sobs.
"Oh, my poor child. I am so sorry, my dear," Albus sighed forlornly. "You are so brave. Such a brave girl."
"It changes nothing. You're still my pup," Sirius firmly told her.
"Don't tell anyone … please," Lux-Vita whispered; child of Voldemort it may have been, the Girl-Who-Lived was still repulsed with herself for murdering an innocent child, nearly taking her life in the process.
***Lux-Vita Laelynn Jamie Potter***
Lady Galadriel did the correct approach in sending Lux-Vita back to Earth. With the Headmaster, Sirius, Ron and Hermione by her side, the grief and pain of Cedric's loss began to dim slightly, and although his loss affected her gravely, she managed to smile every once in a while when surrounded by her loved ones.
After she had been given leave from the Hospital Wing, Lux-Vita attended Cedric's memorial in Hogwarts and then afterward, his funeral. Lord and Lady Diggory assured her quite vehemently that they did not blame her for his death, and for such blame to leave her conscience.
Dumbledore had her return to the Dursleys the first week of the holidays to strengthen the blood ward of Lily before sending her off to Japan with Sirius to be trained by a Sensei, Min Chaoi, who was also a wizard.
Sirius paid a hefty amount for Lux-Vita to receive the best training in a time-room where her training and living accommodation would take place; a month would be equivalent to two years in the time-room, and Lux-Vita and Sirius spent six years together with Min Chaoi.
With the Sensei teaching her martial arts and weaponry and Sirius teaching her all forms of magic, even quite a bit of Dark Arts, Lux-Vita emerged into a different person; she was deftly skilled in Jujutsu, Taekwondo, Gungsol which focused on archery, Hwa Rang Do, Itto-Ryu which focuses on sword-fighting, Judo and Karate. Lux-Vita became proficient in weaponry, such as swords, archery and throwing knives, even a staff; also, she was trained hard to fight ambidextrously.
Sirius taught her well in all sorts of magic, especially defense and dueling, using non-verbal spells and wandless magic; all in all, Lux-Vita would never be useless in a fight, be it magical or muggle combat, and whenever she returned to Middle Earth, she would be able to protect the dwarves in their quest proficiently, especially with the weapons personally crafted for her sake.
Six years may have passed, but Lux-Vita still resembled her fifteen-year-old self. She and Sirius made up for the time lost where he was imprisoned for twelve years and they were extremely close. However, the grief and pain of Cedric's loss never wavered, she still had an aching hole in her heart, her soul was still weeping and Voldemort defiling her lingered on her conscience every day. But she was no longer lifeless with no will to survive, revenge burned inside of her and she wouldn't rest until both Voldemort and the rat were dead on her feet.
***Lux-Vita Laelynn Jamie Potter***
"Lux! We missed you so much!" Hermione squealed, engulfing Lux-Vita in a suffocating hug.
"Hermione, let the girl breath," Ron chuckled, ambling forward for a hug as well.
Lux-Vita beamed at her two best friends; although she spent six years in Japan, she managed to send them a letter every month due to the difference in time being in the Time-Room, and confided in them all that had happened to her in the pensieve, her role as Keeper of the Realms, and Voldemort's baby. True to their title as her best friends, they took the news in stride and never abandoned her.
There was a week remaining before their fifth year at Hogwarts, and Sirius had lend Dumbledore his ancestral home in Grimmauld Place as Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix which was secured with the Fidelius Charm, Dumbledore being the Secret Keeper. The Weasleys and Remus spent two months inhabiting the house, cleaning it and purging all the Dark Arts from its midst in the process.
Since Sirius was still accused of being a Death Eater with the order to be kissed on sight from the Ministry, his six year vacation in Japan with his pup had come to an end, and was now required to hide out in the house he sorely despised until the rat was captured and his name exonerated.
Of course, Lux-Vita still received news from Britain, and knew that she was being branded as an attention-seeking liar since the ministry adamantly denying Voldemort's return. With her Sensei's training, she learned to vent her anger in training and had a tight leash on her explosive temper, a feat according to Sirius, since it was genetic from Lily Potter's scary temper.
The Order informed Lux-Vita that two Dementors appeared in Privet Drive at the beginning of August and kissed two muggles, causing uproar in the ministry. It was glaringly obvious to the Order, that the intended victim was Lux-Vita, and although pity was doled out to the poor, now soulless muggles, relief that Lux-Vita had been out of the country was apparent.
Voldemort was lying low, taking advantage over the Ministry's disbelief and denial, discarding Lux-Vita and Dumbledore's claims to build impenetrable forces for when he revealed his return. In the meantime, the Order was guarding some sort of weapon … that was all the information allowed to be revealed, stating that Lux-Vita was still a child and could not yet be inducted into the Order and their dangerous missions.
***Lux-Vita Laelynn Jamie Potter***
Fifth year at Hogwarts was horrendous with the amphibian Dolores Umbridge in charge, bequeathing herself the title of High Inquisitor and then later on, Headmistress.
Umbridge doled out illegal detentions, having them all write lines using a blood quill and carving permanent words onto their hands; Hermione and Ron convinced Lux-Vita to teach willing students Defense since Umbridge didn't allow the usage of wands in her class, ordering them all to read botched up gibberish in the classroom; a member of the DA betrayed them, succeeding in causing Dumbledore to flee and Umbridge to take up the mantle as Headmistress.
Lux-Vita despised the Ministry, Fudge and Umbridge; their disbelief was an insult to her Cedric's death; claiming that his death was an 'unfortunate accident' caused Lux-Vita to retaliate with everything she had and all the strength she possessed.
Hogwarts was a warzone; nobody respected the toad. Teachers and students alike disrupted the peace, pranking Slytherins who joined the toad, left and right, making Umbridge's rule difficult.
Of course, tradition must ensue, and at the end of the year, Lux-Vita found herself fighting for her life … or the life of her godfather. Voldemort tricked her into departing Hogwarts, arriving in the Ministry of Magic aboard Thestrals with Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny and a Ravenclaw, Luna Lovegood. Tricked into the Department of Mysteries, precisely, the Hall of Prophecies, where Lux-Vita discovered a prophecy made about her and Voldemort was the so-called weapon the Order had been constantly guarding.
Twelve Death Eaters against six adolescent students; Lux-Vita fought like a terror, using up all the repertoire of spells she was taught in Japan, and managing to kill three Death Eaters in the process without remorse. Unfortunately, her six years of experience could not be given to her five loyal friends and they were all harmed in the battle before Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Kingsley and Mad-Eye arrived to their aid.
And then tragedy struck once more … Sirius died; he was hit by some unknown hex by his deranged cousin, who was a notorious, ruthless Death Eater, imprisoned for fifteen years and losing the last strand of sanity, Bellatrix Lestrange. The spell caused him to fall backwards into the Veil of Death, and Lux-Vita watched in an agonizing slow motion as the joy left her beloved godfather's face, grey eyes widening in fear and shock as he gracefully arched into the veil and disappeared from sight.
"Crucio!" Hate boiled like molten lava in her chest, and the grieving savior watched in malicious glee as the deranged bitch twitched and screamed by her feet. "I was told that you have to mean it and I HATE you! You deserve worse than death you psychotic bitch!"
"I must say, I'm impressed," a cold voice whispered from behind her, releasing the spell on the convulsing Bellatrix as emerald green eyes widened, turning slowly to face the abomination that haunted her for seven years. Voldemort's snake-like face twisted into a sinister smile, "Growing dark, are we dear?"
Locking up all the fear and revulsion, all the bile that threatened to spill, and all the traitorously horrendous memories of that night when he killed her fiancé and defiled her, Lux-Vita glared at the monstrosity. It was a well-known fact that she would face Voldemort in battle once more, and could not freeze in his midst. In Japan, both Sirius and her Sensei had her admitted to a mind healer to regale the tragically haunting event, and Lux-Vita was stronger for that.
"You destroyed my prophecy. You have irked me for so long! Goodbye Lux-Vita," before she could vocalize a spell, the abomination hissed, "Avada Kedavra."
But before the jet green light could hit her, the statue in the lobby sprung to life, protecting her from the killing blow, and Lux-Vita watched in awe as Dumbledore and Voldemort, two of the most powerful wizards, dueled each other. Hatred boiled in her chest, and she managed to lift her wand arm and cast the slicing hex, successfully amputating Voldemort's left hand and eliciting an agonizing yell of agony and horror.
Dumbledore gaped at her in awe, while Voldemort was shell-shocked over the loss of his limb, he disappeared from their midst and possessed her, unable to last more than a minute due to all the ardor emotions and grief over her godfather's loss.
The pompous, blithering fool of a minister and his goonies managed to witness Voldemort leave her body, grab his amputated arm and Bellatrix in turn, and vanish; finally admitting his return with two terrifying words.
"He's back!"
It was a whirlwind of emotions and a flurry of activities after that declaration; she was given an unauthorized portkey and transported into the Headmaster's office; smashed all Dumbledore's possessions in fits of unadulterated rage, ignoring her Sensei training with the death of her godfather and the Headmaster finally acknowledging her; the Headmaster came clean, admitting why he ignored her all year and the reason why Voldemort targeted her since birth, and the haunting prophecy echoed around the room.
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches … born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies … and the Dark Lord will mark the one as his equal, but the one will have power the Dark Lord knows not … and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives … the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies …"
Deep inside, she always knew that it would come to this … only she would face the monster and abolish him and his evil tyranny for world domination. Yet with Sirius gone, Lux-Vita found herself unable to think. First Cedric, now Sirius; she collapsed onto the ground, hyperventilating uncontrollably while Dumbledore aimlessly tried to ground her and awaken her from the heart-wrenching grief.
And then, the conversation took a rapid turn, perking her ears up in interest and giving her faith.
"The Veil of Death is a curious thing, Lux-Vita. Decades ago, I found an interest in deciphering its purpose and machination, but to no avail. That was until you confided with me last year in the hospital wing after your adventurous return from Middle Earth."
Lux-Vita's gaze burnt into the Headmaster's soft blue eyes, "What are you saying exactly?"
Sucking in a deep intake of breath, Dumbledore pierced her with a meaningful stare, "I am saying, my dear, that I firmly believe the Veil of Death is a portal to another world, precisely, Middle Earth."
"But-but, many criminals have been administered execution by being thrown into the Veil. That means many wrongdoers are wandering Middle Earth," Lux-Vita gasped, a mixture of horror and hope bubbling inside of her.
"Do not misunderstand me and raise your hopes, Lux-Vita," Dumbledore shook his head somberly, "It is merely a vague notion of mine. My deduction may or may not be accurate-"
"But it is possible? There is a possibility that Sirius is alive and in Middle Earth?" Lux-Vita interjected, her voice increasing in volume, too terrified to hope.
"Yes."
The only sound in response was Fawkes' trilling nearby; all the portraits of the previous Headmasters and Headmistresses stared at Lux-Vita, patiently awaiting her reaction.
"I believe you must practice mastering transporting yourself into Middle Earth, but take caution my dear girl. If Sirius is indeed in the other Realm, he will not be easily located," Dumbledore warned her.
Determination filled Lux-Vita; she would master transportation, and come hell or high water, nothing would stop her, nothing would stand in her way of finding her godfather. Evil beings plunder Middle Earth, and Lux-Vita would be damned if she'd allow anyone else to come within harm's reach toward her father-figure.
It was time to see how those dwarves were doing and seek aid from a certain meddlesome Wandering Wizard; a visit to Middle Earth was high on her schedule.
A/N: This was more of a filling chapter, dear readers. I am sorry if anyone found it a bit boring, but I had to build a story line for her return to Middle Earth AND her life after she returned.
Next chapter we will be seeing Thorin and our favorite Tolkien characters! XD
Tell me … should I have Sirius dead? Or do I keep him alive? I have the storyline plotted for both accounts, so let me know.
R&R.