Denial
Chapter 55 - The Afterlife, and Fire
SUPPORT FOR VOLDEMORT!
Voldemort may have been defeated but even in the afterlife he still has supporters.
Lily and James Potter, who were victims of an attack by Voldemort only two days ago, have now been kidnapped. There was found to be evidence of a struggle at the home of their friends Kira Harvey and Matthew Sherman. All these persons are now missing. The dark mark featuring a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth was daubed on the wall in blood. DNA tests have shown this to be the blood of James Potter. Although he will have recovered from his wounds by now this ordeal must be very distressing for the victims. Anyone with information as to their whereabouts, or witness accounts should contact their local police station.
Death was all buggered up. I felt like a pile of shit. Sirius was a murderer, locked in Azkaban, and worst of all - not with me! Not dead! I knew it was selfish. I knew it was horrible. But I was sure it would be better for Sirius if he was dead, and I knew it would be better for me, for Ruby. I needed to see him again, to let him know it was all ok, it didn't matter he was a murderer, hated by the world, I still loved him. I loved Lily and James as well - but... there was no way Sirius would betray them. Unless he had completely changed since I died.
If he had completely changed then would he even be Sirius any more? Could I still love him?
I needed him for me. I needed his assurances. I was alone with Ruby now - everyone was looking for Lily, James, Matt and Kira - their names and faces were all over the news. Soph and Celia worked most of the time. Although they did put posters up in their windows asking for help.
Mostly I just stayed at home with Ruby who decided to change to be my age (again - scary. It made me cry. More than I already was) and we curled up together on the sofa, bought a TV, and watched rubbish cartoons together, while stuffing our faces and crying and failing to be distracted.
On the fifth of November we didn't join in the Guy Fawkes celebrations. It was horrible to think about it - how he'd helped trying to blow people up, how he'd been imprisoned, tortured, and killed. It was far too close to home. Soph was round, trying to cheer us up.
"Peter isn't dead. Therefore Sirius didn't kill him. Therefore the story isn't right - they're already working out the elaborate ways in which it could work." Soph explained, "They think Sirius might be innocent."
"He has to be innocent." I murmured dispassionately. "He wouldn't kill James."
"Unkie James." Ruby sighed into my shoulder.
"And think about it - you were killed by Voldemort, Sirius was training to be an auror. Somehow that doesn't give the impression that he was a big Voldemort supporter." I shook my head slightly. My thoughts were in turmoil. On the one hand I could see him doing it - much as it seems horrific I could imagine Sirius going to the extreme of murder if he had to. And he had laughed. When he was caught he had laughed. Why?
But he wouldn't. He couldn't have betrayed Lily and James. He couldn't have sided with Voldemort.
I ate some chocolate.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Soph heaved herself to open it. A policeman stood on the doorstep. "Is this the residence of Chloe and Ruby Black?" he asked.
I made an incoherent noise from my position on the sofa, and Ruby sat up. Soph indicated us, and the policeman stepped up into the living room. "The whereabouts of your friends Lily and James Potter has been found, although we cannot be certain that Matthew Sherman and Kira Harvey are with them. We received this." He held up a small stone in one hand. I stared at him for a moment, with no idea as to why a stone would be helpful. Before I could ask he explained "It displays a hologram. This hologram shows us images of the Potters, and the field they are in has been recognisable due to the church in the background."
I remained silent for a moment, thinking. Then Ruby asked "Why are they in a field?"
The policeman gulped. "This may be a little distressing for you."
"Brilliant." I muttered, and sighed, "Go on then."
"Lily and James Potter were being tortured." The policeman said, bowing his head.
There was a long silence. Soph stood at the edge of the room looking shocked and not knowing what to do. "Fuck." I said. "Fuck it all." Ruby hugged me, and I hugged her back. She felt like she was six again. "Why?"
"We assume," the policeman began to explain quietly, "that it is because their son defeated Voldemort. It's deatheaters."
"How?" My voice had become a croak.
The policeman paused, "Burning. They were tied to a steak and burnt. Like Guy Fawkes."
suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to be sick. My trousers, the carpet and Ruby's arm suffered. I resolved not to eat any more chocolate. Soph disappeared for a moment, then came back into the room with a damp tea towel, which she used to wipe us down. I went to get myself a drink of water, and took Ruby upstairs to find us some more of my clothes to wear. The policeman was still downstairs talking to Soph when we'd finished. As we sat he continued to speak. "Help is already on its way to them - could already have reached them. They should be safe soon enough. We can watch their rescue using this if you want," he held up the stone, "but it may be a little distressing." I shook my head firmly, and could see Ruby doing the same. "Very well. You will be informed as to further developments when they occur."
And with that he apparated from the room.
AN: The matter of the fanfic Mistake has been cleared up and sorted et cetera. I've apologised, she's apologised, all is well.
Oh, and by the way - how many people want Harry and Ruby to get together, and how many people think it would be too cliche (or do you think its too cliche and want it to happen anyway?) ...when Harry eventually dies...
Yeah, so, right now I'm heading towards 60 chapters. Kind of depends on whether you want Harry and Ruby together or not though. I just do it as a sequel. Then you could choose whether you wanted them to or not. If I can be bothered to do a sequel. If I'm not overloaded with coursework. Oh how I hate it. (Coursework).
In fact I have history coursework in soon which I'm meant to be doing right now... then biology... music... drama... balls... (yes, balls is a subject :P)
So. Anyway. Thankyous.
LilyGinnyBlack - Oh the dilemmas of life - to do five chapters, or to not do five chapters... and therefore do more. Thank you again. If you want other good fics by the way, I'd suggest the ones on my favourites - or most of them at least. Oo...
EVERYONE - I have to plug Crossroads again. Go to , go on novel length fanfiction, and find Crossroads by Emmyjean, then read it. It updated on my birthday. I was so happy. Not that I looked at it on my birthday, I looked at it two days later, but still. Back to the thankyous...
Captain Oblivious - Hehehe. I hope its even worse now. I decided this story needed some propper angst. And plain sick horror. Nehehehehehehe.
zeldagrl436 - blood is always fun.
Child of the Wolves - Thing is I know Harry Potter best out of most stuffs, it's also the book with the most fanfiction and the most readers, seems to be one of the books with the most possibilties, and I don't really feel the urge to write about anything else. I write origional stuff though. You can find my stuffs on Fictionpress (Maigon Jseolite again) Elfwood (Helen Harvey) and DeviantArt (Ellierany). So yeah. Ness. Meh. Hope I explained a couple of things.
madderthanyou - Good point! I could put the sequel of Ruby and Harry getting together up for adoption. And yes they are already dead. It's just deatheaters making the point that they're still around, and they can still hurt people they don't like.
EVERYONE (again) - If you want a sequel in which Ruby and Harry get together I'll probably put it up for adoption... anyone interested?
Nicky Black - Thank you. Me and eternity's star (who wrote mistake) had long discussions about it. I believe she has taken it down... she has :D. Hope some of your questions were answered in this. Thanks for being the only one to make a suggestion. I'll consider...
eternity's star - I'm sorry about yours as well... but still... I'm amazed you don't have a grudge against me enough to still read this... if that made sense... incoherency is a curse in a writer.
maggie black - Well, I updated again... then again who knows when it will next happen... you know the first fanfic I ever wrote I started in the summer holidays and finished in the same summer holidays. this has been going for a year and a half. Meh.
Liaetha - Thanks a lot. Always nice to find new reveiwery people. No. Readers. Meh. Brain... failing... Anyway. Look at me! I updated.
The all mighty and powerfulM - Hmmm... do you think there might be some sort of curse on the story that makes me write more everytime I think I'm always finished?
InsertRandomInsanityHere - And another lucky day for you... :P.
elvencherry07 - yeah... keeping in canon... bah, who needs that. I did mostly anyway. :P
potatoheaven - Can I have a chip AND a cookie? Thanks.
oOoLituoOo - Yey, I made someone cry! I mean... eh... crying... bad. I'll find the evensecnensese song. (you ask me to be able to spell - since the computer broke we no longer have word. Therefore we no longer have spellcheck. It's appalling. How do you spell appalling?) anyway - hooray for a new reader!
mARAUderRETTE14 - I'm going to skip ahead a few years once everyone's been found and all is jolly once more. Then Sirius can finally die and everyone will be happy!
Bobfredda - Thanks a lot.
So yes, still, any suggestions, ideas etc still very much welcome.
Love Maigon Jesolite.
