August 1st, 1998

Potter Manor

Avery was forced to Apparate outside the wards in fear of being Splinched by trying to Apparate into reset wards. He found he was still able to enter them, so he ran up to the third floor and found everyone - Regulus, Adelaide, Ginny, and Draco - in Adelaide's room. He didn't blame them for moving. The room they'd been in had blood on the pillow and sheets.

"What's happening?" Adelaide asked immediately. She looked no better and no worse, but he was confident that she'd taken something for pain and had used the bruise paste.

"Everyone is at Grimmauld Place," he answered her, walking to stand next to her. She was sitting on a chair by the window with everyone hovering around her. "Harry and Sirius are updating the wards. He won't get in here again."

"How's Katie?" she asked softly. "How long did he have her? His Crucio is… it's worse than Bellatrix."

Avery did his best not to wince. "She's okay. Taken a few potions. She'll be fine."

"You haven't answered me," Draco reminded her, annoyed. "You've avoided the question every bloody time I ask you, Black. How often do we need to set up our sessions for?"

"We don't," she answered, making a face. "I'm fine."

"You're a bloody liar," he accused. "You told everyone that he fucking tortured you more than once. You don't give a shit about getting better."

"I'm tired of getting better," she snapped. "He didn't torture me tonight if that's what you're worried about."

"He's worried about you," Ginny told her gently, kneeling down to grab her hands. "We all are. And I know you hate it, okay, but that doesn't change anything. If you let us take care of you, you'll get better sooner and we'll be a lot less worried."

Adelaide looked at her new husband. He was tense, but he offered her a small, genuine smile. The sight of it calmed her greatly, something that surprised him. She nodded a little and looked at Draco. "Okay. Fine. However often you'd suggest. Just stop being an arse, please, Draco."

"Not sure he can do that- holy shit," Harry shouted, freezing in the door to her room. His eyes landed on her throat and he looked vaguely sick.

"Shit," Sirius cursed softly, looking over his godson's shoulder. He moved Harry aside gently and made his way over to her. She let him tug her to her feet and wrap her up in a tight hug. "Addy."

"I'm okay," she lied despite the way she clung onto him tightly. "The wards, are they-,"

"Fixed," he assured her. "Everyone that was here tonight except for Dolohov will be welcome back. Anyone else will have to be keyed into the wards before they can come over."

"What did he do?" Harry asked, staring at the way Sirius held her tightly. "Your throat-,"

"Harry," Ginny snapped. "Don't."

"It's okay," Adelaide promised. She moved out of the hug but stayed tucked into his side. "We can't cover it with a glamour anyway."

"What?" Sirius asked, staring down at her in concern. "Why not, kitten?"

"The bond," Draco said for her. "For whatever reason, she can't glamour any injuries he gives her. I believe it would be the same with Regulus - a part of a soul bond."

"But they'll go away?" Harry wondered, looking at the bruises and the freshly healed bite mark.

"The bruises," she confirmed quietly. "It'll take a while, probably."

"The bite mark? Why the hell would he bite you? He's not a werewolf, is he?"

"He's not," she answered.

"Shit," Sirius cursed again, reaching over to gently touch the bite mark. "Shit, kitten. He did this- did you ever see his victims after he killed them?"

"Yeah," she sighed softly, the images of the dead bodies burned into her mind. "Once with… with James."

"James?" Sirius's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "When?"

She shifted a little uncomfortably and moved over to Regulus. He wrapped an arm around her in support and she looked at Sirius, making a face. "You remember when you got hit with that curse that vanished your entire left arm?"

"What?" Harry asked in shock, staring between his best friend and his godfather's left arm as if expecting it to disappear.

"Yeah, I was in a coma for like two days while they grew it back," Sirius confirmed, taking a moment to laugh at Harry. "It's a nasty curse, don't look it up."

"Well, Moody told me he needed another Hit Wizard. They'd gotten a tip about girls being held hostage by a high ranking Death Eater. He's seen me fight and we'd worked together in the Order so much that… he sort of made me a Hit Wizard."

"What?" Regulus asked, leaning back to stare down at her in shock. "For how long? Shit, Addy."

"Not long," she assured everyone. "Just a few days. Well, I only worked for a few days. He told me he'd call me if he ever needed me."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Sirius asked her with a small frown.

"Because of what we found," she told him quietly. "Jamie and I went to this warehouse. It was mostly empty, but there was… so many bodies. Dolohov was there with another girl. She was still alive. The reason Jamie never told you is because I… I Obliviated him."

"What the fuck Adelaide?"

"I don't think I'll tell you why because all of you but Ginny are likely to get really pissed off," she said, glancing at the redhead. "But James had a chance to save the girl. I tried to get him to go, but he refused. She died."

"James would never abandon someone that needs help," Sirius disagreed immediately.

"He didn't," Regulus said, paling.

"Reg, it's okay," she assured him. She could feel understanding pass through him as he tensed around her. "It's okay."

"It's not okay," he disagreed. "Did you know before you went that it was Dolohov? Is that why you went? To get him to bloody kill you?"

"Regulus," Avery snapped. "Calm down. What are you talking about?"

"The reason she Obliviated James," Regulus began, making eye contact with his brother. "Is because she decided to distract Dolohov by handing herself over so that he could get the girl out of there. James must have refused and the girl died."

"Adelaide!" Sirius exclaimed, glaring at the girl in question. "After everything he's done to you, you just handed yourself over?"

"I Obliviated him because he was furious and devastated," she said calmly, ignoring their anger. "He yelled at me for hours. I wasn't hurt too bad, but he was so angry that he didn't even care if I was. And he wouldn't let it go, he kept threatening to tell Moody what I'd done, tell you, Sirius, somehow tell you, Reg, and… it was too much. I'd never be allowed to a raid again and… I think he managed to tell Moody since he didn't ask me for help again despite how much they needed it."

"I can't believe you Obliviated my dad," Harry muttered, eyes wide. "How could you?"

"Trust me, Harry, it wasn't anything he wanted to remember," she assured him. "He's never seen Dolohov hurt me, not until that day, and it terrified him so much that he ignored the girl and kept trying to get to me. He was so mad at me, felt so guilty… I did him a favor by taking that away from him. Dorea yelled at me a lot, though."

"Mum knew?" Sirius asked her in shock. "Fuck, Addy, what the hell did he do to you that night?"

"So yes, I know why he bites people," she said, ignoring his words. "He's… marking me as his. Lines up pretty well with what he was saying, too. I could have figured it out without seeing the women he's murdered. He was angry and… it makes sense."

"Why would he be angry?" Ginny asked. Sirius and Regulus both glared at her, but she just watched Adelaide carefully. "You're not telling us something. Tell Regulus at least."

Adelaide snorted. "It'd piss him off more than you, Gin."

"What happened?" Regulus asked her, suddenly concerned. "What did he say to you?"

Adelaide glanced around the room and rolled her eyes. "Regulus and I snuck away to have sex."

"Yes!" Sirius exclaimed, gathering stares. He paused. "Not that you had sex. I won my bet with Mini Tonks about when you'd sneak off to have sex."

"Merlin's sake, Sirius," Regulus muttered in annoyance.

"Reg was showering when Dolohov got here. I wasn't dressed. He knew… he knew. He told me I was his, told me…"

"You don't have to," Avery reminded her when she hesitated. She nodded and looked away from everyone.

"He just tried to make it clear that, according to him, I'm his."

"His?" Harry frowned in confusion. "Like… because of the bond?"

Ginny stared at her ex-boyfriend, surprised by his ignorance. "I love you, Harry, but you're pretty thick."

"It's fine," Adelaide assured her. "I don't exactly want him to know. That's why I went to you when…"

"Yeah," Ginny nodded with a small smile. "He can stay thick, then."

"Should I be offended?" Harry asked Sirius, his brow furrowed. Sirius ruffled his hair.

"No, Pup. This isn't something you want to know."

"You went to Weasley after they-,"

"I'll fucking hex you," Adelaide warned Draco sharply. He cut off, remembering quickly that she'd told him she hadn't told many people.

"You went to her and still didn't tell me?"

"I've told you why," she reminded him, her patience running out. "And they're damn good reasons, Malfoy. You'd have fucking lost it and gotten yourself bloody killed or something."

Draco just scowled in response.

"Let's get you over to Grimmauld Place, kitten," Sirius suggested. "No offense, love, but you look exhausted. Sleep might help."

"Yeah," she agreed, looking to Regulus. He squeezed her tighter in his arm and led her out of the room so that the entire group could make their way over to the Black property.

Xx

"I don't want to be fucking Lord Black doing all the Lord Black bullshit," Sirius complained to Remus and Avery. Severus had left to the library and the newly married couple had already gone to bed. Avery had come to the realization that he wasn't sure where he would live, how he'd make money, or what he would do. "But since I am Lord Black and Harry's my godson and will do about anything I ask him to, you'll live in Potter Manor with us."

Avery rolled his eyes. "I don't think your title of Lord Black has anything to do with this situation."

"It does," Sirius assured him with a small nod. "But I don't wanna make you feel like shit or anything, so I won't pull that card unless you argue."

"Padfoot," Remus sighed, smacking his arm. "Don't threaten him."

"Fine," Sirius raised an eyebrow at Avery. "You know how disappointed Adelaide would be if you didn't stay close. If Moony didn't have a family, I'm almost certain she'd be begging him to move in, too."

"No manipulation, either!"

"I'll stay," Avery said, putting his hands up. "I'll stay. I'm concerned about her living there, however. Too many horrible things have happened to her there. Dolohov at the ball, your mother tried to kill her and nearly did, Dolohov again on the bloody night of her wedding. Do you really think it's a good idea?"

"I don't know," Sirius admitted. "I plan to open up Black Manor and have a million curse breakers go through all that shit. Once it's all cleaned out, I think we'll move there. Let Harry keep Potter Manor for himself and whatever family he has someday."

"The issue will be convincing her," Remus spoke up. "Her only experience at Black Manor was your grandfather stealing all of her memories."

Sirius's eyes darkened. "Why can't she have anything good? Why does it all have to be this dark shit?"

"Because her life is dark," Remus reasoned. "Or it was. Hopefully now that she's back, some of that will go away."

"Have you not considered that perhaps she would like to find her own place with Regulus?" Avery asked. He found it interesting to sit with the two Marauders for the simple fact that he'd never really spent time with them alone. He was not in the least surprised to find them complaining about Adelaide's life.

Sirius laughed. "Are you kidding me? I told you that she clung to me during the war. I'd be shocked if she doesn't want to stay as close to as many people as possible."

"Fair point."

"So what exactly is her plan?" Remus asked them. "Does she plan to hide away until we find and handle Dolohov? That doesn't seem much like her."

"No, it doesn't," Sirius agreed with a frown. "I don't know. We didn't talk about her plans much."

"She won't put her life on hold until he's arrested," Avery agreed. "Which means we just have to look after her. I doubt she'll disagree with that."

"I think I can do that," Sirius said, leaning back in his chair. "At least until she gets sick of me and hexes me."

"We can all do that," Remus corrected. "I'm a bit concerned about Harry and Ginny and her younger friends. They have a lot to get used to. Adelaide is so different from Hermione that it might take a while."

"How different is she, really?" Avery wondered curiously. He'd not been told much of her time growing up originally and it was interesting to see her interact with friends that didn't even know who she was anymore. "What about her is different?"

"I was with her in the war both times," Sirius said slowly, frowning down at his intertwined fingers. "Hermione was more scared and less angry. Hermione fought, she did what she had to do, but she felt horrible. Hermione…. Fought for something. A better future. Adelaide didn't have that. She knew what would happen. She didn't have anything to fight for other than the fact that she had to."

"Aside from the war, Hermione was quieter. Her temper wasn't any smaller, but she channeled it differently," Remus added. "She never cursed and often scolded Ron and Harry when they did."

"And me," Sirius narrowed his eyes, remembering the times he'd bicker with Hermione. "Our tempers clashed quite a bit."

"And you're worried for how she'll adjust?" Avery wondered. The old friends exchanged a glance as they separately considered the question.

"I'm worried that she's still got all of that anger in her and nowhere to put it," Sirius decided. "Her friends will adjust, I'm sure. I'll talk to Harry because I know he's got questions, mostly about Dolohov. Maybe I shouldn't be, but I'm worried that her friends won't react well to Addy. Won't accept it, I suppose."

Remus nodded along. "Harry and Hermione were crushed when they lost Ron. I couldn't say for sure that he won't feel like he's now losing Hermione, too."

"What'll you do?" Sirius asked Avery. The man fell silent as he thought about the question.

"I've been stuck with Dolohov since I was a small child," he began slowly, picking his words carefully. "He tormented me for many years. When that changed and he began to torment others, I felt helpless to stop it. I walked into the common room that night in third year… as ashamed as I am to admit it, I considered leaving. If Dolohov knew it was me… it was selfish. I helped Adelaide and I knew that decision was one that would change my life."

"So?" Sirius wondered, tense. He'd never even considered that Avery would have done anything but help Adelaide, especially with how clearly he hated Dolohov.

"So I will stick with that decision. Adelaide needs all the help she can get. She has Regulus by her side, but if he isn't there, I will be."

"And I-,"

"Will raise your damn kid," Sirius rolled his eyes at Remus. "And keep him the fuck away from Adelaide until Dolohov gets arrested, got it?"

"Sirius-,"

"I mean it. Adelaide will adore Teddy forever, but only as soon as Dolohov can't get to her. I'm sure she'd agree. I'm sure Tonks would agree."

"Yeah," Remus sighed softly. "Yeah, you're right."

"Good," Sirius nodded firmly. "Now, let's get some drinks and get fucking drunk. We've got a lot of protecting to do, so I'd like to drink while I can."

"I think I can agree with that."

"Yeah… yeah, sure."

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