After much discussion between Ashlynn and Molly who were as always the worriers, and planners they were it was decided to send the children back to Hogwarts via the Knight Bus instead of the Hogwarts Express. They thought it would be safer, then allowing them on the train where anyone could attack them, or anyone could get to them. They were especially worried that Umbridge would try something.
Therefore, on January 12th Harry, Hermione, Ron, Aludra, Fred, George and Naos were packed and ready to return to school. Of course, they would not be going alone, thanks to Ashlynn's carefully planning, she had secured that Tonks and Remus would be chaperoning the large group of students to the gates of Hogwarts, where Snape would be meeting them.
Tonks stood in the doorway waiting to count heads as Ashlynn came up besides her. "Why do I feel like you set this up on purpose?" Tonks asked quietly to the older blonde witch.
Ashlynn smiled and laughed quietly. "Why ever would I do that?" She asked as she pushed some of her hair behind her ear.
"To make me admit my feelings to Remus." Tonks said.
Ashlynn looked at Tonks with mock horror written all over her face. "How dare you suggest that I'm a so conniving that I would set you up with my children at risk?" she asked.
"Well I guess not." Tonks said with a frown she had not thought of it that way. It would seem
Ashlynn smiled and patted the younger woman's shoulder before she moved on to say goodbye to her children. The blond witch didn't want her children leaving again with so much turmoil in the world. She wanted them safe at home with her but Sirius refused to allow her to even discuss it around anyone else. The children needed to be children, and even with Umbridge there was no where safer then Hogwarts.
She reached Naos first and hugged him tightly. "Try and have a good term. I know it is hard with Umbridge but it will be over soon. I promise." She said with a smile.
"I know Mum." Naos said with a smile. "Take care of the twins!" Naos was extremely attached to the twins especially Orion. Sure, he had been the most resistant to them but now he seemed to me the most enthused. He loved changing diapers, feeding them and even rocking them to sleep. He would honestly miss them while he was back at Hogwarts.
"I will Naos don't you worry." Ashlynn said as she hugged him and kissed his cheek once more before moving on to Aludra.
Even though it was almost the end of the year Ashlynn still could not believe that her daughter was already in her sixth year. Just one more and Aludra would be leaving the house and getting a job, most likely fighting a war she should not have to. It seemed that history was repeating itself, Aludra was just like her at her age and it killed Ashlynn to know that. She wiped away a few tears before touching her daughter's shoulder softly.
"I know it's hard to enjoy this time but remember you only have a one term after this one. So enjoy it, and have as much fun as you can darling." Ashlynn said forcing a smile.
"I will try Mummy. I'm sure Fred will help me out more than ever." Aludra said with a smile. They hugged closely as Remus called for everyone to get on to the bus. With that, Ashlynn watched her children ride off to another couple of months at Hogwarts.
Ashlynn had been back at work full time for only three days and she was already behind in her work. So she had opted to stay late, she had dismissed all of her staff and was a foot into a report on new Muggle Worthy Excuses when she heard a knock on her door. "Enter." She called not bothering to look up, she knew if someone was coming in this late, they were part of the Order.
"Is that any way of greeting your husband?" Sirius asked with a frown after he opened the door, holding a basket.
"Oh Sirius!" She cried as she stood up and walked over to him. She kissed him in welcome before saying. "What brings you here?"
"Dinner!" He said holding up the basket. "Plus I needed to get out of that damn house and Tonks offered to watch the twins so I come bearing gifts!"
"I knew there was a reason I loved you." She said as she gave him a peck one more time. She waved her wand and her desk instantly cleared off. Sirius placed the basket on the desk and began to pull out a couple of plates.
They were just pouring out some iced tea when her fireplace lit up red. She looked at it a bit shocked. The fireplace only lit up red when the Minster would be addressing everyone, in his or her offices or even their homes. She was sure the fireplace at her other house was lighting up now too.
"Every head of departments are too report to the Minister's office as soon as possible." A voice intoned loudly.
Ashlynn sighed and looked at Sirius. "Sorry love duty calls." She said pecked him on the cheek and was out of the office in moments.
She joined the other heads of departments, smiled as she saw Arthur Weasley, and joined him. "How are you feeling?" She mumbled as everyone shuffled into the large office of the Minster of Magic. Arthur himself had only been back to work for a few days so Ashlynn worried that this whatever this turned out to be would be too much for the older wizard.
"Confused but I'm okay." He answered as the Minister stood up from his desk, instantly silencing everyone in the room.
"Ladies and Gentlemen." Fudge said swallowing hard. "I fear that we are once again on the highest of alerts. There was a mass breakout at Azkaban."
Ashlynn along with many others gasped, as there were shouts of 'how?' 'when?' and 'how many?' where heard around the room.
Fudge waved his hand. "Right now the count it at five but there could be more. I need each one of you to work on this with us. I cannot how stress how important it is for you all to not say a word to anyone outside of this room." He looked squarely at Ashlynn at the time.
"We will be separating into smaller groups so we can tackle this as quickly and effectively as possible. Half will be going to Azkaban to investigate, half will be staying here and following up on leads. Please check for your names on these lists and report to your superior." Fudge nodded dismissing all of them to get to work.
Arthur grabbed a list and nodded. "I'm here as usual; good I have no wish to go to Azkaban. I will catch up with you later." He said as he handed off the list to Ashlynn. She looked down for her name and realized she would be reporting to Fudge himself.
"What the hell." She said softly as she waited for everyone to clear out of the Minister's office. Finally, they were the only two left in the room. He had his back to her so she said. "Sir?"
"Ah yes Mrs. Black." Fudge said as he turned around slowly. "You're probably wondering why I asked you to meet with me."Ashlynn nodded not wanting to say anything before finding out what the Minister wanted from her. "Your husband…"
"Is innocent as you clearly remember sir." She said quickly with an arched brow this mass breakout would not be pinned on Sirius in any way shape or form.
"I know, I know but Sirius Black escaped from the Azkaban and I need to know how so we can figure this out."
Ashlynn nodded. "He's already here, I'll go get him Sir." She said before turning on her heel and leaving the office quickly.
An hour later Ashlynn and Sirius stood just outside the building Sirius had spent eleven long years. He seemed to be shaking a bit unsure of himself but Ashlynn squeezed his hand and smiled at him. "You are just here to help, your coming home with me darling." Ashlynn said looking up at him. She knew this was his fear to end up back inside these prison walls.
Sirius looked down at his wife and nodded. "I know, thank Merlin." He said with a nod. He then squeezed her hand and they moved towards the building ready to face the long years without each other.
It had taken some convincing but Sirius had finally agreed to return to Azkaban on the one condition that Ashlynn would not leave his side. The blonde Witch was the one thing that would keep him sane in this dark place.
They walked in Ashlynn looked at the dementors and shuttered, wondering how Sirius had stayed so calm and rational in this dark place. They had been told the way to go but Sirius needed no instructions he remembered the walk from the entrance to the cellblock they were going to. The two walked in silence until Sirius stopped outside of one and stared at it.
"Sirius?" Ashlynn asked quietly.
"Sorry, this….this is where I was." He mumbled before shaking his head and moving on past the cell. He would never step foot in there again.
"Sirius?" Ashlynn asked quietly.
"Sorry, this….this is where I was." He mumbled before shaking his head and moving on past the cell. He would never step foot in there again. After a few more moments of walking the couple finally the met up with the rest of the ministry workers.
Where they stood, there had been a hole blown in the side of the wall and now that the head check was completed they knew that ten had escaped. It was not just ten people; it was ten of the most loyal Death Eaters. Ten to swell Voldemort's ranks once again, meaning that the people who had caused Neville to be parentless. The Lestranges were the throne in her side and once she had seen their names on the missing list she had felt the need to avenge her friends.
Ashlynn gulped. "Well I don't see why I am needed here." Sirius said with a sigh. "It's obvious what happened here, they were helped from the outside." With that, he turned on his heel and made his way out of the prison.
The Ravenclaw sixth year girl's dorm was usually a silent place but tonight it was unusually noisy. The three occupants of the dorm sat on the floor surrounded by a pile of junk foods, and drinks. Aludra was charming her toenails while Marietta and Cho flipped through some magazines. The chatter was the usual fare for teenage girls, music, shoes, and of course boys.
"Oh look!" Cho cried happily sitting up startling her friends.
"What?' Aludra asked with an arched brow, rarely did Cho burst out like that.
Cho quickly turned the magazine around so the other two could see the title. "How to predict who you will marry!" She squealed.
"All we have to do is sit in a darkened room with a lit candle and put that in front of a mirror. Then all we do is comb our hair while looking at our reflections. As we focus on our reflection an image our future spouse will appear behind us in the mirror but don't turn to see the person or he will disappear along with our changes of marrying them!"
"We should try it I so want to know who I will marry!" Marietta cried instantly.
Aludra laughed and rolled her eyes. "That will never work." She said with a laugh. "Plus I already know who I am going to marry."
"What?" Cho cried. "Fred proposed?"
Aludra laughed and shook her head. "Not officially, but he told me he wanted to get married and have a gaggle of redheaded children." She said with a smile.
"Merlin you two make me sick." Cho said with a frown causing Aludra laughed. "At least I know you won't be trying to steal Harry from under my nose."
Aludra laughed and rolled her eyes. "Harry's like a brother, so no worries there my dear." She grinned and patted Cho's shoulder.
"You don't think he's sexy?" Cho asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Not even a little bit!" She cried. "I'm sure my Mum and Dad would love me to marry Harry but that will never happen."
"I'm sure that Hermione would love to sink her claws into Harry, thank Merlin he has enough senses to stay away from the bossy pants.' Marietta said as she flicked at a jellybean.
Aludra rolled her eyes again. "You are such a cow Marietta!" She cried. "Hermione is a nice girl, she's just smart and if you opened your eyes sometime you can tell she's aiming for Ron."
"Why would she go for Harry Potter's sidekick?" The other girl asked.
Aludra sighed and shook her head. "Ron's no one's side kick and you are just jealous nobody likes you." With that, the girl stood up and walked out into the common room. Whenever Marietta opened, her mouth it made Aludra wish she was more like her father and in Gryffindor. At least if she was in that house she could just talk to Fred now she would have to wait until morning.
Aludra was just laying down on one of the couches with a pillow and a blanket when she saw Cho come out and sit next to her. "You know Marietta didn't mean anything by that right?"
Aludra sighed and rolled her eyes. "You can't defend her forever Cho. She needs to learn that whatever comes out of her mouth has consequences." Aludra said then turned her back to her best friend and closed her eyes.
