I had to admit, I really thought Uncle Ron and Uncle Harry were way off base about Lockhart. He had no idea who he was how could he be holding grudges.
Did he even remember enough magic to imperius someone? And when would Aunt Mora have been near him anyway? Especially alone? Those healers were always around.
It was absolutely the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard.
And that is exactly what I told my father when he said I would not be going to the hospital.
It was three days after the family get together. Uncle Harry said he would let us know when they had enough evidence for an arrest.
I had not heard from Viktor, but tonight was our regular shift
"Daddy, this is silly." I tried to reason with him over breakfast. "Lockhart is harmless. He wouldn't remember even if he did hate Uncle Harry and Uncle Ron, which seems very unlikely since from what I understand he was really just covering his tracks. And we are trying a new technique which is sort of this pitched humming…"
"Leave it alone Miranda." Daddy growled at me, but I wasn't put off. He is a terrible human being before like three strong cups of tea.
"But Daddy…" The man was keeping me under lock and key. Apparently he had not got the memo that I was an adult now.
"Miranda, leave your father alone. It is too early." Mum handed Daddy another cup of tea made just the way he likes it. Almost no tea, but lots of cream and sugar. I take it the way Mum does, strong and black.
"Mum, people are depending on us." I gratefully accepted my tea from her.
"Those people will survive without you until this is resolved." Mum just sipped her tea calmly. Sometimes her calm quiet demeanor can be grating. I want her to… I don't know… yell at me?
But I knew when I was beaten. "Can I at least…"
"No." My father said with finality.
"You don't even know what I was going to ask!" I pouted.
"You were going to ask something asinine like can you leave the manor. The answer is no." Wow, he is good.
"Just for some shopping with Mum…" I tried again.
"Don't drag ME in to this. Be grateful your father isn't threatening to have the Ministry place you under house arrest for your protection." Mum refilled Daddy's tea.
I gasped. "They wouldn't! Can they really do that?"
Mum shrugged. "Don't know. I never wanted to test it. Why would I? I already had your father at home."
I wanted to scream "Yeah but Viktor isn't here and I don't know where he is!" But I know how far to push my parents.
I mean, technically I could have just left. But we all knew I wouldn't.
I guess my feelings must have shown on my face because Mum reached over and took my hand. There is something so comforting when she does that. I have seen her do it to others.
It is completely disarming.
"Viktor is fine. He is with his father." Mum said softly.
I yanked my hand away. "As if I was worried about Viktor Krum! He can go anywhere he wants with anyone he wants. I don't own him!"
From the look on Mum's face I knew I hadn't fooled her one bit.
Daddy motioned towards the window "Then I don't suppose you care if his owl is trying to get in the window."
"NO! I don't care." I crossed my arms. "But… I suppose it would be cruel to leave it out there thirsty and hungry."
I did my best to look like I didn't care about the letter as I let her in and fed and watered her.
Mir,
Sorry I am not there right now. My Dad really needed me. It is… complicated. I promise to explain everything when I get back.
Tell your Aunt I am glad she is out and no hard feelings.
~ Love, Viktor
"So, how is he?" Mum was trying to pretend that she did not care either what was in the letter.
Neither one of us were good at pretending. I handed her the letter.
"I hope his father is alright. Such a nice man." Mum sat the letter down.
Daddy glared at her.
"But ugly, such an ugly man." Mum added quickly, making Daddy laugh.
"Uggghhh…! So I am just what? Stuck here?" I flopped back in to the chair.
"Think how we feel." Mum grinned "Your brother and sister are at school. Your baby sister is with my mother for the weekend. I should be enjoying the entire weekend alone with my incredibly attractive husband. Not with my husband and a grumpy teenage girl."
The look she gave my father said very clearly how she had envisioned spending her weekend.
"Gross Mum!" I wrinkled my nose. "I did NOT want to know any of that!"
Mum and Daddy laughed when the doorbell went off.
"We have too many relatives." Daddy grumbled.
"Yeah… still here daddy." I reminded him.
"I noticed." He got up to go check who was at the door.
Mum laughed at his sullen look.
In just a few moments daddy came back with Uncle Harry.
Good! Now maybe I would be allowed off of house arrest.
Mum handed Uncle Harry a cup of tea. "Sandwich Harry?"
Uncle Harry laughed and he and Mum looked at each other like they shared some inside joke.
"No." he grinned. "But I might take your chair."
"Enough, Potter, I assume you have some information for us?" Daddy did NOT like Mum smiling at other men, family or not.
"I do indeed." Uncle Harry sat an envelope on the table. "We have a full confession."
"So soon?" Mum gasped.
"So it was Lockhart then?" Daddy reached for the envelope.
"Of course so soon, I am really good at what I do." Uncle Harry grinned at Mum. I think he was trying to goad my father. "And oh yeah, it was Lockhart alright."
"But how?" I was so confused. "The healers said he was a hopeless case."
"Not quite, over the years he had shown some small signs of improvement." Uncle Harry drank his tea. "But when you and Viktor showed up and started healing people he improved by leaps and bounds. He just hid it."
"But why would he hide it?" That didn't make any sense. "Wouldn't he want to be free."
"Oh no." Uncle Harry narrowed his eyes. "He knew he would never be free. After everything he had done? The memories he destroyed? He knew he was… is… looking at a long stint in Azkaban."
"Then why ruin that by attacking me? I didn't even know him." This was making less and less sense.
"It wasn't you he wanted to hurt. He had overheard that you are Ron's niece. He was looking to get revenge on Ron. It was his broken wand, after all, that caused his memory spell to backfire."
Daddy looked shocked and I noticed a tremble in his hand.
"But how did he even get alone with Aunt Mora, when would he have even done it? Why would she be visiting him?" Seriously those healers are always around!
"Easy, he altered memories. As to why Mora was there…" Uncle Harry hesitated looking at Mum and Daddy. Mum gave him a small nod. "Her mother is hospitalized there, Miranda. She went every weekend.
"What?! Why didn't anyone tell me? I could have helped her!" I was seriously annoyed.
"Not with her condition, sweetheart." Mum was holding Daddy's hand tightly. "Mora's mother was a Death Eater. A very powerful one. She was sentenced to The Kiss. There is no soul there to save."
"Oh… wow." What does one even say to that?
"Mora used her families funds to have her mother hospitalized…" Mum hesitated "after… instead of Azkaban work."
Daddy looked odd. Sort of ill, sort of relieved.
He was starting to scare me. "Daddy… are you OK?"
I ran around the table to hug him. he pulled me into his lap and stroked my hair burying my face into his chest.
"It wasn't my fault." He whispered. "They… weren't after me."
"I hate to break this to you, Malfoy." Uncle Harry said, not unkindly. "But seriously? It is not always all about you."
I could feel Daddy nod.
Mum pulled her chair around and wrapped her arms around both of us.
I never felt so loved and protected in all of my life.
Uncle Harry quietly let himself out.
.
