Chapter 12
Priorities
The decision had been reached Monday morning. Lucius Malfoy had asked for one thing for his sister-in-law: an examination to prove that Azkaban had damaged her mentally and as a result unable to be responsible of her actions. This news hadn't settled well with Sirius or Neville. For Sirius, this put more pressure on him as Head of the Black family to make a decision regarding Bellatrix's actions. For Neville, the thought that Bellatrix could get away with her actions because of a technicality was too much to bear. After all, she was the reason Frank Longbottom was still in the final stages of recovery from nerve damage.
With as distraught as Neville was, Orion did the only thing he could think of. He approached the situation rationally. After all, even if Bellatrix was found to be mentally unstable (something that Orion already knew was the case), there was still the problem of the public's safety. Bellatrix never hid her devotion to Voldemort. This made her a danger to everyone who opposed him—and their children. There was no place to put her without her being a danger to someone other than Azkaban.
Of course, Draco didn't help matters at all. He had no problem displaying how much he approved of his father's actions in Care of Magical Creatures. A few curses and a slap in the face from Hermione later, Draco learned to keep his mouth shut around the third year Gryffindors. Everyone was shocked that Hermione resorted to physical violence—everyone other than Orion, that is. He could see that she was at the end of her rope. Taking so many classes was really taking a toll on her.
As they rushed to Charms, Orion glanced around for Hermione only to find that she was gone. That wasn't good. Had she forgotten that he needed to go to Ancient Runes too? Thinking fast, Orion quickly gave Professor Flitwick an excuse of checking on Hermione then ran to the Ancient Runes classroom only to find that Hermione was already seated. Frustrated, Orion snuck into the classroom and shot an angry look at Hermione who looked horrified. She muttered an apology before taking notes for the rest of the class.
Making it to Charms was tricky. Orion and Hermione had to time it perfectly so that Orion didn't run into his past self. They managed to only miss a few minutes of Charms which was a good thing. They were experimenting with Cheering Charms—something both of them desperately needed. By the end of class, Orion was in a slightly better mood but no amount of apologizing could make Orion feel any better when it came to Hermione. She really needed to get her priorities straight. What was the point of taking every class if doing so pushed you to the point that you weren't your best in any of them?
Orion watched his fellow Gryffindors leave for Divination, relieved that he had the time free to work off his agitation. He spent the time in Remus' quarters practicing the Patronus Charm and by then end, Orion figured out that he wasn't upset with Hermione forgetting about him, he was upset that he had warned her about this and she still refused to listen to him.
Evidently, Hermione's day only got worse in Divination. Orion got the story multiple times and it was never the same. He was finally able to get the actual story from Hermione once she calmed down enough. Professor Trelawney had once again used Hayden as her victim which made Hermione snap. She had words with Professor Trelawney before walking out of the class. Orion had to admit he was relieved. That was one less class to stress her out about.
The Easter holiday wasn't a holiday at all for the third years. They had at least one assignment in every class. Cedric wasn't able to help since his O.W.L.s were right around the corner and Remus was busy preparing for material that would be needed to prepare his students for exams. This left Orion to do what he could to help Neville, Hayden, Ron and even Rose. Hermione was too stressed to even ask so they just left her to her own devices.
Orion was suddenly grateful he was nearly two years ahead in his magical education.
Hayden probably had it the worst since he also had to fit in his Quidditch practices. The Gryffindor-Slytherin match was scheduled on the following Saturday so there wasn't much time. Slytherin was leading the tournament by exactly two hundred points which put a lot more pressure on Hayden. They needed to win the match by more than two hundred points so not only did he have to catch the Snitch, he had to catch it when Gryffindor had more than a fifty point lead.
At the moment, Orion was glad he was only the reserve Seeker. He didn't need to attend every practice and he didn't have the weight that Oliver had shoved on Hayden's shoulders. To Orion, a game of Quidditch just wasn't worth that when there were so many other more important things to worry about.
It was hard to ignore the intense atmosphere that had settled in Hogwarts for the week of the match. There was so much tension between Gryffindor and Slytherin that it could be cut with a sword and nearly was a few times. There were a number of fights that broke out that resulted to quite a few detentions and trips to the hospital wing. The Slytherins were taking the divide and conquer approach. They were trying to catch Hayden and Orion unaware in order to take out both Seekers.
Cedric had been the one to point out the obvious. While they feared Hayden on a broom, rumors of Orion's flying ability made them fear Orion more. As a result, the Gryffindors stuck to Hayden like glue while the Hufflepuffs stuck to Orion. Orion thought it was a little ridiculous but he wasn't going to complain. Monitoring duty was really the only time he was able to see Cedric or his friends from the Hufflepuff house.
By the morning of the match, Orion could only wish for it all to be over. He was one of the first to get up and one of the first to enter the Great Hall. He was relieved that he could at least have a little bit of time to himself. It was sad. Orion was only thirteen and he was already looking forward to peace and quiet. When did he suddenly become old?
Students constantly fluttered into the Great Hall in groups and it wasn't long before Orion's solitude was interrupted by Cedric, Justin and Susan. Justin was an absolute riot, cracking jokes on what possible ailments the Slytherin team had when they caught sight of the Gryffindor team enter the Great Hall. Orion had to admit all of them looked pale and constipated.
When it was time to head to the stadium, Orion was surprised to see that Cedric, Justin and Susan didn't leave his side. They walked with him to the Gryffindor corner of the stands and remained at his side along with Neville and Ron. It was a perfect day for Quidditch. There was no wind although the sun could be a bit of a problem for Hayden.
The entire stadium erupted in cheers as the Gryffindors walked out onto the field. The reception for the Slytherins wasn't as friendly. Even Lee Jordan, the normal commentator, wasn't holding anything back. Orion kept his eyes on the field and watched as both teams took off at the sound of Madam Hooch's whistle while the balls were released. Orion and Cedric were immediately searching for the Snitch.
Gryffindor scored first followed by Slytherin making the first penalty. Of course Fred decided to take revenge so both teams had a penalty shot. With a nicely aimed shot from Alicia and a good save by Oliver, Gryffindor was up by twenty. Orion took the opportunity to return to Snitch hunting. He could only hope that Hayden managed to spot it before Draco although that was highly possible. It looked like Draco was watching Hayden rather than the Snitch. That wasn't good. That meant that Draco would probably play dirty as soon as Hayden spotted it.
"And there's another penalty," Cedric muttered. "This isn't going to be pretty."
"Welcome to the Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry," Orion shot back. "It's never pretty."
Katie took the next penalty shot and made it. Thirty points up. It was then that Hayden took off towards the Slytherin end of the field with Draco following him closely. Orion desperately searched for the Snitch but couldn't see a hint of gold. Hayden was gaining ground until one of the Bludgers flew past Hayden's right ear followed by the other that grazed Hayden's elbow. Where were Fred and George? They were supposed to keep Hayden safe!
The Slytherin Beaters closed in on Hayden only for him to dive at the last second causing the Beaters to collide. Orion let out a relieved sigh and heard Cedric do the same. "I'm glad I'm in Hufflepuff," Cedric admitted. "Slytherin is never this bad with us."
The Gryffindor crowd was screaming and cheering so loud that Orion was sure his ears would be ringing for hours afterwards. Slytherin finally got the Quaffle past Oliver, lessening the lead to twenty points which had been the incentive Slytherin needed to do everything in their power to get the Quaffle. It quickly turned into the dirtiest game of Quidditch Orion had ever seen which was saying a lot. Slytherin would pull something first causing Fred or George to retaliate. It was really only because of Oliver's spectacular saves that Gryffindor kept gaining a lead.
Slytherin seemed to realize as much and shifted their tactics to attack Oliver. Madam Hooch wasn't happy in the slightest. There was another penalty which gave Gryffindor a fifty point lead. Alicia threw the Quaffle through the Slytherin's goal moments later giving Gryffindor the lead they needed. Orion immediately focused all his attention on looking for the Snitch, praying that Hayden had a better view from as high up as he was. Draco wasn't too far away, marking Hayden instead of the Snitch. Orion's fingers twitched for his wand. He had never wanted to curse Draco as much as he did now.
Suddenly, Hayden took off upwards and Orion spotted it. The Snitch was sparkling twenty feet above him. He was almost there only to have Draco grab the tail of Hayden's broom. Orion cursed. Now he really wanted to curse Draco. Hayden evidently noticed that his broom was slowing down and did something only Orion would consider doing. He rebalanced himself and jumped, reaching for the Snitch.
Silence filled the stadium as Hayden's fingers wrapped around the Snitch and then the cheering began—from everyone but Orion. Orion could only stare in horror as Hayden started to fall, looking for his broom but not find it where it was supposed to be. Draco had pulled it out of reach.
Orion's wand was in hand in a flash. "Cedric!" he yelled as he pointed his wand at Hayden. "Wingardium Leviosa!"
Cedric echoed the spell and they both watched as Hayden's descent halted. Madam Hooch instantly blew her whistle and Fred and George were quickly at Hayden's side with Hayden's broom they had snatched from Draco. Orion didn't even think of releasing the spell until Hayden was safely on his broom. Once Hayden held up the Snitch proudly, Orion lowered his wand and relaxed.
"You okay, Orion?" Cedric asked loudly as he repeated Orion's motions. It was difficult to hear anything over the shouts of "WE WON THE CUP".
Orion nodded and felt Cedric usher him out of the stands. This was ridiculous. All this for what? Bragging rights? It made no sense. "I can't believe Draco," Orion said at last.
Cedric gave Orion's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Oh, I don't think you'll have to worry about him for a while," he said in an amused tone. "Take a look."
They had just stepped onto the field to see Draco cornered by Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, Madam Hooch, and Professor Dumbledore. Professor Snape had Draco's Nimbus 2001 which made Orion wonder just how severe the punishment would be for purposefully endangering Hayden's life. Shifting his gaze, Orion noticed Mrs. Potter embracing Hayden tightly while Hayden tried to push her away in embarrassment. Shifting his gaze again, Orion spotted Remus not too far away with a worried frown on his face.
That snapped Orion to attention. Why would Remus be worried now?
"Orion!"
Spinning around, Orion froze at the sight of Sirius approaching with a look of resign on his face. Orion didn't hesitate. He rushed to his father, hardly noticing Cedric and Neville following him. That look on Sirius' face was one he normally wore when something didn't work in his favor regarding his job. The question was, who was it? Bellatrix or Pettigrew?
"Dad, what is it?" Orion asked nervously.
Sirius glanced around before resting a hand on Orion's shoulder. "Come with me Ori, away from the crowd," he said gravely. "Cedric, Neville, you can come too. Ori'll tell you anyways."
Orion allowed Sirius to pull him towards the forest. He couldn't help sharing a nervous glace with Cedric and then Neville. Cedric looked determined and Orion knew that his older brother was ready to jump into the role he had played so often this school year. Neville shared Orion's nervousness, allowing Orion to conclude that he and Neville were on the same conclusion.
Sirius came to an abrupt stop just outside of the forest before dropping to one knee and staring into Orion's eyes then Neville's. Biting his lip, he reached out and grasped Neville's shoulder with his free hand. "I just received word from the Ministry," he said softly. "Bellatrix has been declared mentally competent. She knew exactly what she was doing and who she was doing it for. Her logic wasn't exactly sound but it has been concluded that she is too much of a danger given her complete devotion to Voldemort."
Orion felt his knees buckle. This was what they had hoped for. "W—what's her sentence?" Orion whispered.
Sirius hesitated for only a moment before speaking. "Dementor's Kiss, Ori. She has been moved to Azkaban under constant guard until it the sentence is carried out."
Neville fell to his knees and buried his face in his hands. Sirius immediately moved and wrapped his arms around Neville. Orion joined in the embrace and felt a reassuring hand on his back. Orion didn't know what to feel. He was relieved that Bellatrix would never hunt him again but it just felt so wrong to be happy that someone was going to face a fate worse than death. Perhaps this was why Sirius had come to tell them in person. He had known that even though it had been good news, it was still difficult news to process.
Suddenly, Orion really didn't care about the Quidditch Cup at all.
The news of Bellatrix Lestrange's sentence was the final straw that broke Draco's back. The confident, proud boy had been replaced by a depressed shadow that avoided everyone. In addition to Bellatrix's sentence and the detentions with Filch until the end of the term, Draco was also scolded by his father behind closed doors. No one knew what was said but it was clear that it hadn't been a pleasant conversation.
There really wasn't any time for Orion to sit and process everything that had happened. With the final Quidditch match of the season done, it was time to focus on final exams. Orion was actually relieved that his exams wouldn't be anything like the O.W.L.s that Cedric, Fred and George were studying for or even the N.E.W.T.s that Percy was trying to survive. Of course, that didn't stop Orion from making some notes of what he noticed they were studying.
Orion had quickly become the tutor for the third year Gryffindors—except for Hermione. She preferred her solitude to worry about how she was going to manage to get her studying done. That left Orion to come up with the excuses when she left her exam schedule in plain sight for Hayden and Ron to see that she had multiple exams at the same time. All in all, Orion silently vowed to talk to Hermione once exams were over because he wouldn't be doing this next year.
Surprisingly, the exams passed quickly and weren't as difficult as Orion had feared. Transfiguration was mostly theory, Charms was absolutely easy, Ancient Runes was a little trying, his Confusing Concoction had come out nearly perfect in Potions, Astronomy was a walk in the park but it normally was since Sirius had always had an obsession with the stars, History of Magic was boring but manageable, and Herbology was easy with everything Neville had drilled into his head. Orion's final exam had been Defense Against the Dark Arts which had actually been enjoyable. Remus had created an obstacle course for the exam that contained quite a few creatures they had learned about this year.
Orion, Neville and Hayden managed to complete the course successfully. Ron faltered at the Hinkypunk and Hermione was fine until she reached the Boggart and ran away screaming.
Remus was immediately at her side, trying to comfort her. "Hermione," he said gently. What happened?"
Hermione shakily wiped away her tears. "P-P-Professor McGonagall," she gasped. "Sh-she said I failed everything!"
Ron really didn't help matters by laughing but Orion had to admit that Ron had the right frame of thinking. He'd take Professor McGonagall over a Dementor or Sirius dying as a Boggart any day.
Orion couldn't help being a little smug as he watched Hayden, Ron and Neville leave for their Divination exam and Hermione leave for Muggle Studies. He was done and had a free period to unwind. What could be better? Once Orion dropped his things off at the Gryffindor Tower, he ventured out to the grounds. Not too far, obviously, but far enough so Orion was able to enjoy the sun.
This year at Hogwarts was certainly one that Orion couldn't wait to put behind him. As if Bellatrix Lestrange and Peter Pettigrew hadn't been enough, there were also the consequences of their escape. Sirius had been pushed past his limit with the Ministry, his team and the Potters. The Ministry hadn't been much of a surprise. They always hated not being in control of the situation. Problems with Sirius' team were to be expected since they had been working non-stop since the escape happened.
The Potters, on the other hand, that had been a problem that never should have happened. Mr. and Mrs. Potter knew that Sirius was already being pulled into too many directions. Why did the feel the need to make it worse by trying to force themselves into the Black family? Why now of all times?
Orion let out a groan as he let himself fall back on the green grass. He had to admit that the Potters had left him alone lately but who knew how long that would last. Mr. and Mrs. Potter were just too nosey. Why did they have to pick on him? They weren't this way with any of Hayden's other friends. Why do I even bother? There's nothing about the Potters that makes any sense.
It wasn't long before Neville joined him followed by Ron and then Hermione. From the looks on Neville and Ron's faces, Orion knew their exam hadn't gone well but Hermione looked like she was on top of the world but in all honesty, that was to be expected. Hermione was Muggle born. How could she not do well in Muggle Studies?
"So how does it feel to be done?" Orion asked with a grin the moment Hermione sat down by Neville.
"Surreal," Hermione admitted with a sigh. "I'll admit it, Ori. You were right. I don't think I could do this again. I don't think I'll remember half of what I studied."
Ron stared at Hermione incredulously. "Er—that's normal, Hermione," he said slowly.
Hermione let out a huff. "For you, maybe but I would like to remember what I've learned," she shot back. "Honestly Ron. How can you expect to gain any ground when we have to take our O.W.L.s?"
Orion and Neville groaned. "Hermione, please!" Orion protested. "We just finished our exams. Give us some time to unwind before you start making out study schedules for us."
Hermione opened her mouth to protest only to be silenced my Hayden running towards them with a look of panic on his face. "Hayden—"
"—Professor Trelawney," Hayden panted as he dropped to his knees, "just told me something about Voldemort."
Orion quickly sat up. "What about Voldemort?"
Hayden held up his hand until his breathing slowed down to a manageable level. "In my Divination exam, Trelawney acted really weird and she started talking in a strange loud voice. She said that Voldemort's servant will get free tonight to find him and Voldemort will rise again—greater and more terrible than before."
Orion hurried to Hayden's side. "Did she give a time frame?" he demanded.
"Orion," Hermione protested cautiously. "Trelawney is a fraud. You can't honestly believe—"
"—it's not up to me to judge," Orion cut her off sharply. "If there is a possibility that Bellatrix Lestrange may escape, I have to let Dad know."
"Before midnight," Hayden answered nervously. "Orion—"
Orion didn't stay around to listen. He jumped to his feet and ran up the stairs and into the castle. He needed to find Remus. Remus would be able to find out where Sirius was—even if he wasn't at Hogwarts. Running to Remus' office had certainly been an obstacle course. Orion had nearly run over several first years and almost collided with several older students. None of them seemed to grasp the fact that Orion was in a hurry of life and death means.
Orion managed to reach Remus' office just as the door was opening. He slid to a stop, nearly crashing into a surprised Remus.
"Orion!" Remus exclaimed, jumping out of the way. "What in the world—"
"—no time!" Orion interrupted between gasping breaths. "Where's Dad?"
Remus frowned in confusion. "He just left," he said cautiously. "He was going to catch some sleep at Black Manor before his next shift started. I believe Kingsley and Evelyn are on patrol now. Why?"
Orion explained Hayden's jumbled tale as quickly as possible but it wasn't long before Remus was trying to contact Sirius while promising Orion that he would take care of everything. Evidently, Remus believed the same as Orion. A threat was still a threat no matter how unreliable the source may be…and Professor Trelawney was about as unreliable as they came.
It was with a lesser weight on his shoulders that Orion met up with his friends in the Great Hall. He had to admit that he preferred having an uncle for a teacher—especially when Remus was that uncle. Remus had always been able to tell when someone was lying or being truthful. It had certainly given Remus an advantage in the past whenever Sirius had tried to pull a fast one during a prank war.
Of course Sirius never felt the same. He always insisted that Remus was cheating.
"Er—Orion?" Hayden asked nervously, snapping Orion out of his thoughts. "Is everything okay?"
It took Orion a moment to realize what Hayden was talking about. "Oh! Sorry," he said quickly. "I talked to Remus. He was contacting Dad when I left. They'll make sure Bellatrix is guarded heavily tonight so nothing happens."
Hayden frowned, glancing at Ron then Hermione before returning his gaze to Orion. "Do you really think Trelawney made an actual prophecy?" he asked softly.
Orion shrugged his shoulders. "You're asking the wrong person," he admitted. "I've never believed in fortune telling. Remus told me about the room in the Department of Mysteries that's filled with prophecies that haven't come true. If you divide the prophecies that come true by the prophecies made…well, the odds aren't in our favor."
"Then why'd you run off?" Ron asked with a mouth full of food that made Orion cringe.
"Honestly, Ron!" Hermione scolded. "Can't you at least have some manners?"
"Too late," Orion and Neville said at the same time and pushed their plates of food away. Ron swallowed his food then smiled apologetically. Orion could only roll his eyes. "Like I said before, we can't take any chances when it comes to Voldemort."
Ron winced.
Orion glanced up at the Head Table and saw Remus quietly taking his seat. Their eyes met for a brief moment before Remus discretely nodded. Orion grinned in relief. If anyone could make sure Bellatrix didn't escape tonight, it would be Sirius Black's team.
"Do you think I should tell my mum?" Hayden asked quietly. "I know she'd worry—but if it's about Voldemort, maybe she should know."
Orion frowned thoughtfully. "I don't know," he admitted. "I mean, your dad's still working with mine, right?"
Hayden scratched his head thoughtfully. "Last I heard but I think he's more of a backup since Lestrange was sentenced. They only have to find Pettigrew now."
Orion raised an eyebrow at how Hayden spat 'Pettigrew' like a curse and forced himself to remember that Hayden's conflict with Peter Pettigrew wasn't anything like Orion's with Bellatrix. For Hayden and the rest of the Potters, it was about revenge. Peter Pettegrew's betrayal had been the beginning of what had damaged the Potter family beyond repair with Hayden and Rose suffering the most.
Speaking of the Potter children…"Er—Hayden?" Orion asked looking up and down the Gryffindor table. "Where's Rose?"
It was Hayden's turn to look up and down the table. "I don't know," he said in surprise. "That's strange. I was sure she would have wanted to know all about Remus' exam. Maybe I should go look for her."
"I'll go with you," Orion said rising to his feet with Neville following suit. Looking for Rose was certainly better than watching Ron eat.
"Wait for me," Hermione said as they turned to leave. "I'm coming too."
They hurried out of the Great Hall only to be met with silence as soon as the doors closed. It felt almost eerie as they hurried to the moving staircases. Portraits watched them suspiciously but nothing was said in an attempt to stop them. It made Orion itch to have in wand in hand. He didn't like this—not one bit.
"Slow down!"
Everyone turned to see Ron struggling to catch them while still stuffing food in his mouth. Hermione was the first to say what they all were thinking. "Don't you ever stop eating?" she asked incredulously.
"What?" Ron asked with a mouth full of food. "I'm growing."
Hayden let out an aggravated sigh. "Come on," he insisted. "I want to find Rose."
Nothing else was said as they hurried to the Gryffindor Tower. The Fat Lady also stared at them suspiciously before letting them in. What in Merlin's beard was wrong with the portraits tonight? Did they honestly believe that a small group of third years would cause problems during dinner?
It took a moment for Orion to remember that many of the portraits were already hanging for years when Sirius Black and James Potter entered Hogwarts. They were probably just waiting for Orion and Hayden to take after their fathers. Stupid portraits don't know me at all.
The Common Room was completely empty—which wasn't surprising but Orion could see that Hayden was really starting to worry.
"I'll check her dorm," Hermione offered then hurried up the stairs.
Every second seemed to last forever as they waited. It was times like this when Orion hated the enchantment on the staircase preventing boys from going up to the girl's dorms. Truthfully, it was a bit unfair. Girls were allowed to enter the boy's dorms at their leisure.
"She's not in her room or any of the others!" Hermione shouted as she hurried down the stairs.
Orion didn't waste any time running up the stairs and checking all of the dorm rooms only to come to an abrupt halt when he entered the his own. It looked like a complete disaster. Beds were messed up, hangings were pulled at awkward angles, belongings were thrown all over the room and a red liquid was running down the window by Orion's four poster bed. With his wand in hand, Orion cautiously approached but it didn't take him too long to realize that the liquid was as thick as blood.
"Orion? What's the—hey! What happened in here?!?"
Orion reached out and cautiously touched the red liquid. It had the consistency of blood. He brought his fingers to his nose and inhaled. There was no smell. Frowning in confusion, Orion pointed his wand at the window. "Finite Incantatem!"
The red liquid turned clear for only a moment before vanishing all together. Someone had wanted to scare them. Mission accomplished. Orion felt sick to his stomach as he turned around. Neville, Hayden and Ron were checking their own areas while Hermione stared at the entire scene in shock.
"We need to tell Professor Dumbledore," Hermione said shakily. "We need to tell—"
"—no one," Hayden interrupted in a hoarse voice as he held a piece a parchment in his hands. "We can't tell anyone." His eyes shifted to Orion's. The look on Hayden's face left no room for question. It was a look of fear and horror. "He has her," Hayden whispered then handed the parchment over to Orion.
One glance at the parchment told everything.
I have your sister. She's still alive and waiting for you. Come with Black to the Whomping Willow alone.
NO ADULTS!
If I so much as see anyone with you, I'll kill her. If you even think of telling anyone, I'll kill her. You're being watched.
Remember that.
Wormtail.
Orion slowly raised his eyes and met Hayden's and immediately knew they had no choice. Wormtail had already taken one sibling away from Hayden. There was no way Hayden would sacrifice the other. Wormtail had been smart. He had struck effectively under the radar. No one had protected Rose. No one had suspected Rose as a target.
"We'll get her back, Hayden," Orion said quietly. "I promise."
