A.N. This is it guys... The moment you've all been waiting for and I'm, like, REALLY NERVOUSon your opinions of the revelation, so please, please, please tell me through review or inbox what you think!
When Draco discovered the news that Hermione Granger was in the Hospital Wing, curtains drawn around her and Madam Pomfrey refusing visitors, he couldn't have been happier. Believing her to be petrified, he had never been so in awe of any other person in his life. However, when she was released at the beginning of February with absolutely no evidence that she had been attacked, Draco had remained in a foul mood for the day.
Another day Draco was very sour on, was Valentine's Day. When Draco arrived in the Great Hall that morning, he was disgusted by what Hogwarts had come to. The walls were covered in pink, vicarious decorative pieces. Pink and red heart-shaped confetti fell from the ceiling. It was obvious that it was Lockhart's doing; he was dressed head to toe in bright pink dress robes. Everybody else wore their normal cloaks and sullen expressions.
Not to mention, that when Draco walked in he was swarmed by ugly, half-naked dwarves with white wings and golden harps, giving out cards and presents to students. Draco joined his year at the Slytherin table. The girl's were giggling at the dwarves and even the boy's spirits seemed to have been lifted.
"This is disgusting," Draco commented, staring stonily around the room. "Father will hear about this."
"Oh shut up and eat some breakfast," Blaise suggested. "When you get a card, you'll change your mind."
Draco noticed three cards by Blaise. Sourly, and also taking Blaise's advice and having some toast, asked: "And who sent you cards? Was it Nott? Are you two finally announcing your wedding?"
But Blaise ignored Draco's comments and reported: "Eloise Midgeon, Millicent Bulstrode and Katie Bell."
"Needless to say if they sent Blaise a card they're unattractive," Theodore noted. "Who's Katie Bell?"
"The Gryffindor chaser," said Draco.
Blaise turned around to the Gryffindor table, scanning for the Gryffindor chaser Draco had mentioned. "What does she look like?"
"She's not hideous," said Draco, "but there are better."
"What, like Parkinson?" Theodore sniggered.
"What about Parkinson?" Draco asked.
Blaise rolled his eyes. "Come on, like you haven't noticed: she's practically in love with you!"
Draco looked across the table to where Pansy was giggling at something. Then Draco looked away, feeling repulsed. "I'd take Bell over Parkinson any day – and I don't see you with any cards, Nott. Don't tell me you sent any."
"No," Theodore said, "and any girl who sent me a card would get it ripped up and thrown in the fire."
"Harsh," Blaise noted.
"Truthful."
Draco looked back at the five girls in his year whom were eating breakfast. He noticed that none of them had cards, and he pointed that out to Blaise, who said: "They've been giving cards out for a while and no one knew about it. I think Daphne had a few given to her – as well as Davies."
"Davies got a card?" Draco laughed. "What about Potter?"
Harry did receive a card by the end of the day: by Ginny Weasley, who Draco had, the honour of witnessing it being sung to him. The reason Draco heard the card being sung, was because Harry's bag had split open. Noticing a diary, Draco snatched it off the floor and was showing it to Crabbe and Goyle.
"Wonder what Potter's written in this?" said Malfoy, who obviously hadn't noticed the year on the cover and thought he had Harry's own diary. A hush fell over the onlookers. Ginny Weasley was staring from the diary to Harry, looking terrified.
"Hand it over, Malfoy," said Percy Weasley sternly.
"When I've had a look," said Malfoy, waving the diary tauntingly at Harry.
Percy said, "As a school prefect —" but Harry had lost his temper. He pulled out his wand and shouted, "Expelliarmus!" and just as Snape had disarmed Lockhart, so Malfoy found the diary shooting out of his hand into the air. Ron, grinning broadly, caught it.
Draco was looking furious, and as Ginny passed him to enter her classroom, he yelled spitefully after her, "I don't think Potter liked your valentine much!"
Helena Rosier stumbled into work one morning, sporting a new red maternity dress Lily had brought her from a shop that was near her home town. It was a lovely one, and Helena wore it with such pride. She had a feeling that today wasn't going to go well. Helena wasn't sure why she felt it when she woke up that morning, but when she opened the curtains in the morning and the rain was worse than it ever had been in February before, that was her first omen. And then the baby had started moving around in Helena's belly, making her uncomfortable and that put her in a sour mood. Then she had a row with Castor about his latest school trip and he had screamed: 'I HATE YOU' at her which made her feel miserable. So she had worn the dress to cheer herself up a bit. She did her make up in the mirror, listening to Sybil's favourite radio station (only because Helena was unsure how to change the station without breaking it) went downstairs to kiss Sirius goodbye and left for work to find the rest of her co-workers looking morose and piling around Lucius Malfoy's separate office. Helena hung her coat over the back of her chair and put her handbag down beside it before she went to enquire what was occurring.
She asked Arnie Merwin – a man in his sixties with dark hair, who was second in command on the Hogwarts Governing Board after Lucius Malfoy. He was looking as worried as the rest of them, which could not be a good thing.
"What's happening?" Helena whispered to Arnie.
Arnie looked shocked to see Helena. He looked at her like he had not seen her in four years and she had just jumped out of a bush at him. "Mr. Malfoy called Wilkins into his office half an hour ago and she was crying. Then he called in Pescatore and he looked like he was having a fit. Now Watson's in there and... No one will say what's going on."
Helena was stunned. "Shouldn't we tell someone?"
"Who?"
That was a good point; Lucius was the man in charge, so who could they tell? Helena joined her disgruntled co-workers and when Lucius Malfoy opened the door everyone – including Helena who had just arrived – jumped out of their skin. Vince Watson emerged from Malfoy's office looking angrier than anything and stormed out, cursing his name when he left. Malfoy kept it professional and scanned the work force on who to bring in next. Then his eyes fell on Helena.
"Rosier, a word in my office?"
She took a sharp, intake of breath and pulled herself from the wall. When she walked through the crowd of Witches and Wizards, they all gave her sympathetic looks. She'd have hated to be the last one there.
He held the door open for her and she walked in. Lucius had a small and bare office, with an oak desk and two uncomfortable, matching oak chairs adjacent to it. Lucius would occupy the black, comfortable chair behind the desk that everything was towards. Apart from one thing, Helena noted, that was towards the person sitting in the two uncomfortable chairs. As Helena struggled to sit down, clutching
"I remember the last time I saw you pregnant," Lucius recollected "That was the day you took our dear and sweet Sybil away."
"She's not your dear and sweet anything Malfoy," she growled. "Now what do you want? Everyone's so miserable you would have thought someone died."
"You shouldn't speak to your superiors like that," Lucius warned.
"Superiors? If you're talking about blood, Malfoy, I'm as much of a Pure Blood as you."
Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Does blood status matter to you Helena?"
"Of course not," Helena said, "though I know it matters a great deal to you."
He smiled at her with disdain. "Would you like something to drink? Coffee or tea – or perhaps something stronger."
"I'm pregnant, Malfoy, and I'll have a tea," he prompted her to use her manners. "I'll have a tea, please. Milk, no sugar."
"Because you're sweet enough?"
She did not like his attempt at a joke, so didn't respond. With a wave of his wand, he summoned a tea pot and poured Helena a mug of tea. He added the milk and it was served to her on a pretty, matching saucer. Helena barely said a word and drank it through pursed lips. Then Lucius banished the tea pot back to the table by his tall collection of books, lined together on an oak bookcase.
He returned his conversation to Sybil. "Draco says Sybil has a lot of admirers in Hogwarts. Did she tell you that?"
No, she had not told her that. To delay herself, Helena raised her spoon and began to stir her tea. After a length silence she returned: "No she has not."
"She's a very beautiful girl," Lucius continued, pouring himself his own cup of tea but his own contained sugar. "She must have got it from her father."
She scowled at him. "You do flatter yourself, Lucius. I feel sorry for your wife: having to put up with you through night and day. I'm surprised she didn't throw herself off your Manor roof when Draco went to Hogwarts and she was trapped into conversation with you."
"Narcissa loves me," Lucius remarked. "Do you love Sirius?"
"Of course I do," was her immediate lie.
"Does he love Sybil?"
"Of course he does."
"Does he love Sybil more than her Father did?"
"That's un-doubtable," Helena raised her voice. "He only 'loved' her to spite me."
"He never wanted to love Sybil, but he did what he had to do to protect his family name. What would have happened if word got out, that a daughter of Malfoy was living in a grubby Muggle flat? Well we would no longer be a well-respected family."
"You lost your respect the moment he raped me."
"Yes," Lucius agreed with a smile. "Just when you lost yours."
Helena, who had attempted to take a sip of her tea, slammed it down on the crockery below. Lucius Malfoy was the man she hated more than any other who was alive. When Lucius had got the job as Head of the Hogwarts Governing Committee, she had begged Albus to give the job to somebody else. Then she had threatened to leave, but then that would leave her without a job and a newborn baby Castor to look after. Lucius knew that Helena couldn't leave, so he treated her like scum. He made her feel like scum. All the while, he had her daughter living in his home, and if Helena dared do anything, she knew, without Lucius' threatening, that he would leave her for dead.
"I really hate you Lucius Malfoy, and you've been blackmailing me for twelve years."
"And what can you do about it?" Helena was silent. "Nothing. You really love your daughter, don't you?"
"Yes," Helena snarled.
Lucius' eyed fell on Helena's stomach. It was the stomach of a third trimester, and Helena put a hand over it protectively. "Who's the Father of this baby then?"
"Sirius Black: a good man."
"Of course it is," Lucius agreed, and then took a long sip of his drink. When he lowered it onto the saucer, with a deep, exhale of breath, said: "Try not to kill this one."
"I didn't kill him."
"You might as well have."
"He came for Sybil-"
"-He came for what is truly his! He loved his daughter, and if you even cared about her for one minute you would have realised that she was better with us than she ever could be with you and Black."
"Why should I have given him Sybil? He had no right to take her from in the first place! All you Malfoy's are exactly the same: you treat other people like common filth on the street when you're really exactly that: you're the scum of the earth."
"She was a Malfoy before," Lucius smirked. "Or had you forgotten?"
Of course Helena had not forgotten. It pained her, every night when she was separated from Sybil who she was living with. They would introduce her as Sybil Malfoy at parties, and when they asked about the mother they'd say she was a filthy prostitute – and they did exactly that. As a baby, she was probably sung to sleep by Death Eaters, the sound of Muggleborns being tortured was her lullaby and no one would come for her when she cried. Sybil Malfoy. It made her sick to the stomach when she evoked that name.
"Of course I hadn't forgotten, Malfoy," said Helena calmly.
"So you shouldn't use our name in vain; you shouldn't use your daughter's name in vain."
"My daughter is Sybil Josephine Rosier-"
"-Your daughter is Sybil Josephine Malfoy. Youngest daughter to the great and rich and powerful-"
"-Don't finish that-"
"Great and powerful Abraxas Malfoy."
Helena gasped, but it wasn't like it was a surprise to her, but she hadn't said his name in years. And why should she? He was from a dark period of her life. To Helena, his was the corpse she hated the most. He had ruined her life but blessed it simultaneously. When she said his name, the memory of Sybil's conception came flooding back. She was barely a child herself, going to meet Narcissa so they could go out for a few drinks. There had been no reply on the front door so she walked to the side of the house. He had been lurking there and pushed her against the wall. She had screamed but no one heard her. But it was over as soon as it started, and she ran from the house as quickly as she could.
"My little sister," Lucius continued. "How do you think our dear and sweet Sybil would take the news if she found out that her best friend is her Nephew?" He laughed at the sheer thought. "That the man she calls her Father is her cousin-in-law – and her little brother: her cousin-in-law also?"
Helena's breathing began to quicken, and she glared at Lucius and she tried to change the subject. "What do you want with me? You didn't come here just to taunt me."
"No, I didn't," he nodded his head to a sheet of parchment with four signatures on the paper. "Sign it."
PETITION FOR THE REMOVAL OF RUBEUS HAGRID: HOGWARTS GAMESKEEPER
Lucius Malfoy
Jessica Wilkins
Lorenzo Pescatore
Vince Watson
Helena laughed and threw down the quill she had in her hand, preparing to sign the petition. "I'm not signing that, no way."
"I thought you might say that," Lucius smiled. "So I'll pose my question to you again: how do you think Sybil will take the news if she finds out the truth about us?"
"She wouldn't believe you," Helena said coolly.
"I think she'd come and find us."
"She wouldn't."
Lucius raised his eyebrows. "Do you honestly believe that? You should be aware then, that when Draco took Sybil round to ours when she went missing, that she very much enjoyed our company – and we very much enjoyed hers. I know Narcissa would let her live with us in a heartbeat; she loved Sybil just like my Father and I did-"
"-You didn't love Sybil."
"Draco did too. They got on so well together, we all thought so. We were going to have them married once our Draco turned seventeen: to keep the money and property and power within the family. Would you like Sybil to discover that, Helena? Because if she's anything like the Malfoy family – which, I am told to say she is, they won't she do anything to spite you? She'd marry Draco quicker than you can say: 'stop the wedding' if it would mean vengeance for you lying to her all these years. So I'll tell you once more, Helena: sign this petition."
She couldn't lose Sybil. No way in Merlin was she going to lose the daughter she fought most to keep. So she asked herself: what would Sirius do? He would have already signed the paper if it meant keeping her safe. He would have punched Lucius before that, probably, but he'd ensure her safety. So without looking at Lucius, she added her name to the bottom of the list.
"No one will ever love Sybil more than me," Helena informed as she put the quill down. "So don't try and tell me otherwise."
It had been ages since James, Sirius and Remus had spent a night together. They were having a pre-party for the birth of Sirius' baby, and using that as an excuse, the two men were allowed to go out on Friday night. Sirius had been hesitant to leave, because for the past five days Helena had been in a state of shock and distress. Terrified something was wrong with the baby, he was pleased to have got out the house and take his mind off things, but half an hour into the night his best friends knew that something was not right with Sirius, and they asked him what it was.
"On Monday she came back from work early, and she hasn't been back since. She's just stayed at home, trying to keep herself busy; last night she cooked enough food to feed the entire neighbourhood, and she's cleaned the home, top to bottom, and even offered to go back to flaming Grimmaulaud Place and give that a cleaning. Tell me I'm just being dramatic."
"You're just being dramatic," Remus consoled. "This time last year you were telling us that she was never at home, and now she's always at home and you're concerned? She's probably just hormonal from the baby – it's due in less than two months; that has to be stressful for her."
"But I think it might have something to do with Malfoy."
The three men were sat in a corner booth in The Three Broomsticks. Though it was nearly empty apart from three drunkards at the end of the bar, a young Witch and Wizard on the opposite table and the lovely Madam Rosmerta, that place was very quiet. However, to avoid that nobody was listening in, Sirius checked over the sides of the booth as precaution.
"You know that Hagrid's lost his job, don't you?"
"Harry told me," James said, "why would the Governors agree to this? Hagrid's would never open the Chamber of Secrets – what are they thinking?"
"Exactly," Sirius said, "Lucius is Head of the Governing Board, and Helena works for him. I think it's more of a coincidence that Helena comes home from work distressed on Monday afternoon and Hagrid loses his job Tuesday night."
"You think Lucius has said something about Abraxas?" Remus whispered.
"Helena wouldn't sign for Hagrid to be fired for no reason," James sided. "What are you going to do? Are you going to go round there?"
"Are you mental? He can't do that!"
"I can't," Sirius agreed. "He treats Helena like shit at work but she can't do anything in case he tells Sybil."
"If you told Sybil this could all be prevented-"
"-You don't think I've tried telling Helena that, James?" Sirius snapped. "I want to tell her, we've all agreed that we should tell her but Helena can't bear to hear the truth. I think, that if she admits the truth to Sybil it means she'll be admitting that it's true to herself. If Lily was raped – Merlin hopes she never will – and Harry's not your kid, would you want to tell him who his Dad is, just to get it out of the way?"
James nodded. "Absolutely."
"But would Lily?"
He paused. "Probably not."
Sirius took a sip of his Maple Cider, smacked his lips and said: "Enough about me; there's nothing I can do about this. How are you and Lily bearing with the Chamber of Secrets? Helena checks the Daily Prophet every day in case there are news of any other attacks. Remus, you're lucky Callie's not at Hogwarts at the moment or you'll be worried out of your mind."
"I always worry about Callie. Sirius, you're lucky you're not a Werewolf and have to worry about attacking one of your children."
Missing the annoyance, Sirius said: "I miss Full Moon."
"I don't."
"How about the three of us get together sometime? I know I've missed turning into Padfoot. I haven't done it since we were together; Helena doesn't like the animals – including the dogs – in the house."
"I haven't been Prongs," James admitted with a smile. "There's been no need."
"Well I'm Moony every month, and I don't miss it."
"It must be easier with the Wolfsbane Potion, though?" James prompted. "And when Callie's at Hogwarts you won't have to worry about hurting her. You must have been relieved when she got the letter."
"Relieved?" Remus echoed. "And send her to a school where the Chamber of Secrets has been opened and some monster is attacking children? If it's still open by September next year then she's not going; I'm not having her in danger there."
"Sybil and Harry are still there and they're fine," Sirius said. "I'm still sending Castor – James is still sending Jacob. Hogwarts is the safest place, Remus, and Callie's not going to thank you for not letting her go. Where will she go instead of Hogwarts? Are you going to send her to Beauxbatons, where she can't even speak the language? Or Durmstrang, which is on the other side of the world? If she's at Hogwarts, she's familiar with everything and everybody and she'll be safe."
"My daughter has never been safe," Remus informed.
"If I can let Harry go to Hogwarts again, and he was attacked last year, then you can let Callie go, too. What would the monster of Slytherin want with a first year, anyway?"
"What did it want with the boy from Harry's year, or the first year? What did it want with a cat?"
"Harry's been attacked a lot," Sirius reasoned. "In first-year it was a three-headed-dog and Voldemort, and this year it's been flying a car, the Chamber of Slytherin, a rogue bludger and the snake at the duelling club, and James and Lily still let Harry go to Hogwarts-"
"-A snake at duelling club?" James interrupted, concerned. "Harry never told me about any snake or any duelling club. Who told you?"
Sirius swallowed. "Sybil."
"Did she say anything else?"
He shook his head. "No."
Prongs cursed under his breath, downed the last dregs of his Maple Cider and got up. He put on his robes and marched out the door, almost crashing into Madam Rosmerta's latest customers: three middle-aged men not much older that the trio who had been there before. Sirius and Remus exchanged a look; Sirius sighed and took another sip of Cider and Remus did the same.
"I'll get the next ones in," Remus offered, taking the handles of Sirius, James' and his own tankards and carrying them to the bar, where a bored Rosmerta paused her conversation with the drunkards to serve Remus. She slapped her hands on her hips and served him. "What can I get for you boys?"
"Two Maple Cider's, please Rosmerta."
"Of course – that will be two sickles, please," Remus handed the money over and Rosmerta poured the drinks. "What happened to James? He left in a hurry."
When James, Sirius and Remus were still in Hogwarts – along with their old friend Peter Pettigrew – they would sneak out of the castle some nights and drink with Rosmerta in her bar. Three of them: James, Remus and Peter, would return to Hogwarts, Sirius, on the other hand, would stay with Rosmerta in her bed some nights. Once or twice it was James who stayed with her. Never Remus or Peter.
She was a beautiful woman and could only have been five or six years older than the men. Rosmerta had curly blonde which fell just above her shoulders and an hourglass figure. She had been popular amongst the Hogwarts boys whilst Remus was in school, he recalled, and teenage boys would very often lean against the bar, shamelessly chatting her up. She took it all in good stride, but her favourite was Sirius by far. Perhaps that was why Sirius always insisted on Remus or James ordering the drinks whenever they entered the bar on those rare occasions that they did.
Grinning, Remus said: "He had to get home."
"He's still married to Lily, isn't he?" Remus confirmed that he was, and Rosmerta gave a happy sigh. "I remember the countless afternoons he'd spend whining and longing about her – and the amount of times he'd ask me to send her over 'romantic' themed foods. Finally got her then, eh – and managed to keep her. Can't say that about many blokes. Is Sirius married?"
"Uh, no," Remus said, "but he's got a girlfriend."
"Oh right," said Rosmerta amused, and she leaned over the side of the bar to Remus. One thing she was well-known for was wearing revealing clothes showing her cleavage, and when she leaned over, every man's head in the bar turned her way, and one of the drunkards cat-called. Rosmerta ignored them and continued her conversation with Remus. "How long's this one been around for?"
"Ten years."
Rosmerta was surprised. "And he hasn't put a ring on her finger yet? I'm agog."
"They have a son together – and she's pregnant with his second."
"I can't imagine Sirius Black with two children."
"Three; Helena had one before she met Sirius. That's Helena Rosier, Evan Rosier's sister, you might remember him from the time when-"
"-Sirius threatened to glass him when Rosier groped me? Yeah, I remember that," with a laugh, she turned around and gave Remus the drinks. "Keep 'em as a celebration drink for Sirius' new baby. So what about you then Remus, are you married – settled down with kids?"
"I have a daughter," Remus said.
Again, Rosmerta looked surprised. "And not a wife?"
"No."
"Girlfriend?"
Remus ran a hand on the back of his neck. "No."
"Where's the Mum?"
"She died," Remus said hoarsely, looking down at the wooden bar, "she died when she was born."
Rosmerta let out a low whistle. "Sorry about that. How long ago was it?"
"Eleven years."
"And you haven't been with anyone since?"
He shook his head. "No."
"You need a shag."
At that, Remus laughed, and he took the free drinks from Rosmerta, thanked her, and joined Sirius at the table. When he sat down, Sirius smirked and said: "You really do need a shag, Remus."
Remus clinked his glass with Sirius and took a sip. There were more truth in those words than he cared to admit.
Harry wondered what life would be like if Halloween had turned out differently. He wondered what would happen if his parents had died – who would he live with? Sirius, Harry automatically assumed, but then who? Harry had no other family, apart from an Aunt: Lily's sister Petunia who their families never had any contact with. Lily didn't even know where her sister lived, now, and for the first few years after Lily woke from her coma, she tried contacting her sister, but Petunia Dursley seemed adamant that she would not talk to her sister. That was what Harry had been told. He had been told other stories from his father about weddings and how disastrous they had turned out. James' stories made Harry want to meet his estranged Aunt, Uncle and Cousin even less.
He wondered how he would be, academically, also. Harry was certain that he would not be doing well in lessons at all, and that was saying something, because Harry wasn't doing well at all. He supposed Defense against the Dark Arts came easy to him, but while his Dad had been brilliant at Transfiguration, Harry was only mediocre at it. His Mum had been an expert in Potions – which he as abysmal at – and Charms, too, which Harry thought was one of his better lessons.
He wouldn't have met Sybil, either. Would Sirius have met Helena if James and Lily had died? It was strange, thinking that Sybil would just be another snobby Slytherin to him. Harry loved Sybil and he knew, deep down, she returned those feelings, too. Harry could not imagine a life with Sybil after Hogwarts, though, in friendship or romance. Though Harry knew Sybil still cared for him; she had stopped Malfoy from hexing him in the corridor just this week, she wouldn't be at a loss if they stopped talking after Hogwarts. They might see each other on occasions like Christmas, but that would be it. It was sad to think that, actually, that after spending thirteen years of their life together, it would be so easy to forget someone like that.
He had a better family than Sybil, but they both had one thing in common: their siblings and parents were the only family they saw. Harry knew that he would never meet his Aunt Petunia or his Uncle Vernon and his cousin with the funny name, and he didn't care; he had all the family he wanted in James, Lily, Jacob and through Sirius and Remus' family.
But it would be interesting, Harry thought, to see how Muggle lived.
He thought about all this when Professor Flitwick handed him his Charms essay. "Excellent work, Potter!"
Harry had received a ten out of ten, and what was most surprising, was that it was his third full marked essay in Charms that month, and Harry was thrilled. Hermione also got full marks, but Ron only got five. He had expected his mark, and shrugged it off, shoving the essay in his bag, crumpling it. Harry, on the other hand, neatly placed his essay and marks into his bag. He was going to show his parents this and make them proud.