PART 2
Ch. 26- The truth
I DO NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO HARRY POTTER
Harry sat in Dumbledore's office, unable to speak. His first thought as he sat there alone was that once again, he had lost someone. Sirius, the only parent he had left, was gone. Killed by Bellatrix Lestrange. The sorrow that filled him was unlike anything he had felt. When Dumbledore returned, alone Harry watched him with narrowed eyes. He was angry and for whatever reason, it was directed at Dumbledore. Sirius was distracted, he had come face to face with the man who killed the person he loved. Harry was angry. The tears had long since dried up and he did not know if anyone else had been hurt. If any of his friends had been hurt. He thought about Hermione's unconscious body and Ron's unintelligible ramblings.
"Harry." Dumbledore sat in front of him at his desk and spoke in his calm voice. "I need you to listen to me, hear what I say." Dumbledore spoke and Harry crossed his arms over his chest. He felt oddly childish. Like Dudley when he didn't get his way, but it was how he felt. Childish and angry. "Tonight's events transpired in a way that no one expected." He spoke. "It was never my intention for any of my students to leave these grounds and come face to face with Voldemort and his followers." He spoke softly.
"Sirius was in trouble." Harry said loudly. Dumbledore waited for him to finish. "Or I thought he was in trouble. I know it was my fault. I put everyone in danger." He spoke.
"No, Harry. You were very brave tonight and because of your actions we finally have a few things to be grateful for." Harry looked at Dumbledore dumbfounded. Was he serious? How could he think that any part of tonight was a win? "Listen Harry. Something occurred that I had not foreseen. You only witnessed your part of tonight's events; you are still unaware as to what else occurred." Dumbledore said and Harry shook his head, hoping to be done with the conversation. "It began after you arrived at the Ministry."
Rose and Draco ran from the elevator in front of the door leading to the department of mysteries and could hear the commotion coming from the opposite side. They took in a deep breath and lifted their wands. As they ran past the doors, a figure appeared, and they stopped. Ginny Weasley stood in front of them, her hand shaking.
"It's you!" She shouted. Rose looked past her to the others sitting on the floor behind her.
"What happened?" Draco panicked as he knelt beside Hermione's unconscious body and Rose inspected Ron.
"It's a long story. Their both fine, but Harry." She said, tears in her eyes. "He stayed behind to protect us. I can't get inside, and I can't leave them." She told them. Rose looked at Draco and followed the sound of the commotion.
"Stay with them." Rose said and took off at a sprint towards the door, her wand blasting its way through the locked door.
"No, Wait!" Draco shouted, looking after her. Ginny looked between them, and he stared down at Hermione.
"She's going to be fine. I'll keep her safe." Ginny told him and he nodded and ran after Rose. Draco could not see her, once he entered the passage to a circular room, with a curtained archway in it's middle. What he did see, was a battle. Draco could not see his father, the scene unfolded slowly to him, and he edged around the edges, searching desperately for Rose or Harry. Neville laid slumped in a corner, the Auror Moody, who Draco feared stood in front of him. Across the room he could see the bright headed witch, standing in front of Luna protectively. Smoke filled the room, and a familiar cackling laughter invaded his ears. As he looked up, he saw Harry and Sirius in the middle of the room with Rose's uncle Alexander. Draco edged closer to them. From Sirius' wand erupted robes that bound Alexander where he stood.
"Then why are you going to Azkaban?" Sirius laughed as he took a step towards him.
"You don't know do you?" Alexander said to Sirius. "That I have left you with nothing!" He told Sirius. Alexander's eyes darted around the room. "Do you know she begged for her life?" Draco stopped. "That she begged for your daughter's life." Sirius was taking the bait; Draco could see the anger in his eyes. "Oh, you didn't know?"
"What did you do?!" Sirius grabbed him now, but Draco felt a tug at his side.
"Draco." He could hear his father's weakened voice from close by. Draco ducked and searched frantically. He could not see him.
"It was her fault really. All those years I searched for my sister, and I could never find her." Alexander continued. "Do you know what her mistake was?" He laughed. "She was looking for you. Came all the way to London and was seen. It was hard to find her then, to see what she had given up. A small cottage outside of a muggle town, of all places." Draco watched as a realization hit Sirius. The pain that burst through was enough to stop him dead. He searched more fervently for Rose.
"You killed your sister?!" Sirius tackled him, just as he was pulled down.
"Draco! What are you doing here?!" His father whispered loudly, they both crouched on the floor, as curses flew past them.
"Stop it." Draco told him. "I'm not leaving." Lucius seemed weak. Something had happened and he struggled to hold onto Draco.
"She begged me to spare her, but after her betrayal I needed to send you a message." Draco could hear Alexander speaking and then the sounds of a struggle. When he tried to stand his father held onto him tighter.
"No! You must leave this place. Go back to school. If the Dark Lord sees you." Lucius told his son. Their eyes held and more curses flew past them, Lucius had no wand, he eyed Draco's hungrily. "Give me your wand and return to school at once." Lucius tried to sound stern, but Draco broke free and staggered back a few feet. Draco could hear the cackling laughter again and watched as the smoke rejoined and became a woman. His aunt Bellatrix stood at the edge of the room, perched high above, her wand pointed at Sirius.
"No." Draco lunged, just as his father grabbed his feet and he stumbled. On instinct Draco shot his father with a spell throwing him back and propelling himself father back.
"I took everything from you Black. I have your daughter and I was going to induct her into the army, but now I think I'll kill her too. All you blood traitors deserve to die." The green light streaked towards Sirius, but Draco saw as it hit the air in front of him. Sirius started to disappear before them. Draco could only assume that Rose was there, in the center of things, invisible in a disillusionment charm, dead from the killing curse that hit her. Bellatrix laughed and Alexander tried to lunge, but Draco shot a stunning spell his way and ran. Just as Harry burst from Lupin's arms, Draco slid to where he had seen the killing curse land and crashed into something heavy.
"I killed Sirius Black!" Bellatrix laughed and Harry was gone, into the hall after her. Lupin's face was stunned to see Draco and even more what he had witnessed. More Curses were aimed their way, and Draco swore he heard his father's voice yelling for him. But then everything changed. The brightest light filled the room and Draco had to cover his eyes with his hand to keep from being blinded. A thunderous sound echoed on the walls and Dumbledore appeared. He whipped his wand above him, and the death eaters all shouted in unison. They grabbed their left arms and screamed. Slowly they moved from the edges and crevices of the room, until they were all bound, as Alex had been in the center of the room. With another flick of his wand, they all laid still their eyes closed. Draco could see his father and Alexander both. He had chosen his side and he still did not know what that meant. Dumbledore did not remain.
"Keep them here!" He shouted as he went for the exit. "Find the others and make sure they are alright." He disappeared as the other members of the order came to where Draco knelt.
"Is Sirius?" The bright haired witch spoke to Lupin.
"They're there." Moody said from behind Draco causing him to jump. Lupin stared down at him.
"Draco, what are you doing here?" He asked him.
"I came with Rose." Draco was growing nervous, at not being able to see her, to know she was okay. He feared the worse.
"Revelio." Moody said, and slowly their bodies began to appear. Rose laid with her eyes closed, nearby where Sirius laid unconscious as well.
"Are they?" the bright headed witch asked.
"They're alive. I can see their breaths. Just stunned." Moody said. "Best get Sirius out of here, I imagine Dumbledore alerted the entire ministry." He said looking up at the ceiling. "Yes, the lot of them are starting to arrive.
"I will take him." Lupin said. "Kingsley, if you will." He pointed to Rose.
"I can carry her." Draco suggested.
"No, you and the others will have to be sent back to Hogwarts or St. Mongo's depending on the damage." Moody said.
"I can't leave her." He told them, but Lupin placed his hand on his shoulder.
"We will protect her, Draco. You have my word." Lupin told him.
"Come on Draco. Help me find the other." Luna took his hand, but he hesitated.
"You did a good thing tonight, Draco." The bright headed witch told him.
"Will you tell her to send word to me, as soon as she can." He begged them and Lupin nodded.
"I imagine, Dumbledore will give you all an update. Go on." He told him. Draco watched as Kingsley took Rose in his arms, and Lupin held up Sirius. They disappeared in a puff of white smoke.
"Sirius is alive?!" Harry asked him. "I have to see him." Dumbledore nodded.
"I thought you might." He said to him. "So, Remus will be here shortly, to escort you by Portkey." Dumbledore said and Harry smiled genuinely for the first time.
"Sir, has anyone else been hurt?" Harry asked.
"Your friends are safe, Harry. A very brave bunch you have." He told him.
"And Draco was there? Does that mean he's chosen to stand against his father?" Dumbledore remained silent.
"It's still to be seen. I can tell you he's made great strides in the right direction, but ultimately the decision is his." He elaborated. The door banged behind them. "Enter." He said and Remus walked inside, holding a sack.
"How is he doing?" Harry asked.
"Hasn't woken yet, Harry, but he will be very happy to see you." Remus said. "Are you alright?"
"I am now." He spoke. When they left Dumbledore's office, Harry did not know what to expect. If they were going to Grimmauld place, then he did not what to expect. The last he had tried to communicate with Sirius, creature had lied to him about his whereabouts. Harry crept through the old house and made it to the sitting room. Sirius lied on the sofa, still unconscious. Remus rushed into the room.
"Primrose." He called out and Harry realized she was not inside the room. Harry jumped as the floorboard creaked.
"I'm here." She said and she sounded very weak. Remus rushed to her side.
"What are you doing up?" he asked her.
"I didn't know where I was." She spoke. Harry watched her amazed. "Glad to see you're alright, Harry." She told him, sitting back down on the chair.
"What happened?" He asked her.
"I think I must've been hit by a few stunners at the same time. I suppose it could have been worse." She mentioned, a weak smiling playing on her face. "That old crazy hag, nearly got him." She said, nodding towards Sirius.
"You saved him?" He asked her.
"Nearly didn't, but my shield held. I think he must've been hit with the same stunning spells as me, because he hasn't woken up." She spoke. "Unless I did something wrong." She spoke but Remus was there to comfort her. Harry did not understand the bond.
"You saved his life, Primrose." He told her.
"Rose, please. Forgive me, but are you Moony?" She asked him and he smiled up at her.
"Remus Lupin." He laughed. "You look so much like your mother." He told her.
"Will someone fill me in? What am I missing?" Harry asked and Lupin stood. Rose and Remus exchanged a look and Harry waited. But everything was dropped when Sirius stirred and groaned.
"Damn death eaters." He complained as he sat up. Lupin laughed and Harry rushed to his side. Sirius hugged him and Harry finally felt better. He had not lost him. Sirius smiled. "How long have I been- "But then he spotted her, and Sirius fell perfectly silent. Remus stood up proudly and helped him stand. "Is this? Well, she is- You look so much like Lia. Beautiful." Sirius said and Rose stood up nervously. Harry felt like he was intruding on a private moment. "May I?" Sirius held out his arms and she nodded, tears already filling her eyes. They both started crying and he held her face in his hands. "You're here, with me." He told her. "My daughter." He muttered and Harry froze. He looked between them and then at Lupin as he joined him.
"His daughter?" Harry asked. Sirius pulled apart from Rose but kept one arm over her shoulder.
"I have these." She fumbled through her robes clumsily, until she pulled from it a box. She searched for something else until Lupin held out her wand.
"Your mother's wand?" Sirius asked her and she nodded. She tapped the wand and the item in her palm grew to the box Dumbledore had given her. She opened it with her necklace and showed the contents of it to them all.
"Memories?" Harry asked and she nodded.
"My mother's." She told him. "You should see them too Harry. Your parents are in nearly everyone. It seems our mothers hoped we would be great friends." She mentioned.
"Why have you never said anything?" He asked frustratedly.
"Would you have believed me? With all that was going on. A strange girl, related to one of the worst families in the wizarding world, telling you she's your God sister?" She laughed. "I didn't find out myself until recently and by then you and your friends had already made up your mind."
"You didn't really give us another choice, did you?" he asked her.
"I had to survive." She mentioned. "Mum didn't keep me from you, it's all here. I can show you." She looked up at Sirius excited.
"I don't believe that is necessary." Dumbledore stepped through the frame holding a cauldron.
"What is that?" Sirius asked.
"The antidote." He said and Sirius looked at him oddly.
"For what?" He asked bitterly, stepping away from Rose.
"Please Sirius, one thing at a time. You too Remus." He said, handing them each a goblet he made appear from nowhere. Harry stepped towards Rose, watching them cautiously drink from the glass. Too many things happened. Dumbledore made the Goblets disappear and both Sirius and Remus sat back in the sofa. Harry watched and Rose waited anxiously for them. Sirius eyes blinked rapidly, and new tears streamed down his face, but it was quickly replaced by something terrible. His anger flared and he stood to look at Dumbledore.
"At no point did you think it wise to tell me I had a daughter and Wife out there that needed me?" He asked. "When you helped me to escape, when you arranged for me to be close by in the cave? When we moved the Order's headquarters to my bloody house!" He yelled and Harry and Rose flinched away. Remus held him in his place, but Dumbledore remained calm and serene. "Well? Answer me Albus!"
"It was not safe." The answer came from an unexpected source. Rose. "Please, don't be angry with Professor Dumbledore. He tried to get Mum to come back, but she was too scared." She said to him, they watched her. "It's here in her memories." She shoved the box at them. "When you escaped from Azkaban, she wanted to find you and bring you home to us. To keep you safe." She said sadly. "But she knew that Uncle Alexander was still trying to find her, and he believed that if he found you, you would lead him to her." She said sadly.
"She had no idea how right she was." Dumbledore spoke. "We waited Sirius, until we believed you were in a stable setting. Where you couldn't be found. We were going to bring her here, this summer." Rose started to cry and Sirius, stopped looking at Dumbledore angrily and walked over to his daughter, as if he were seeing her for the first time again.
"We were so close. If only she had found you then, maybe we would be together now." Sirius hugged her tightly.
"I can never forgive myself Primmy. Never for what's happened, but I swear to you, that you have me. I will never leave you again." He promised and Harry felt a wave of calm flow through him. Sirius was alright and more than that, he would never be alone again. Rose cried and hugged him tighter.
"What's wrong?" He whispered to her.
"You called me Primmy." She cried and Sirius laughed.
"Do you not like it?" He asked her and she shook her head.
"I love it." She spoke. When they broke apart, they both laughed. Remus came to her and hugged her too.
"A goddaughter." He muttered. They sat in the study talking until just as suddenly Sirius jumped up.
"I'm going to make you dinner." He announced and Harry laughed. "What?" He asked him, smiling.
"Can you even cook?" He asked him and Remus shook his head.
"I'm a wizard, am I not?" He spoke. "Just wait, I will make you all the greatest dinner." He fled from the room and towards the kitchen.
"We'd better follow him. He'll need all the help he can get." Remus laughed.
"I must head back to Hogwarts, with Minerva gone, I'm sure Severus is in over his head." Rose stood up.
"Professor." She spoke softly. "Will you tell Draco, I'm alright. And not to worry." She asked and he smiled at her.
"Of course, my dear." He said to her. "As for you dear boy, I think you should spend the night with your family tonight and I'll have someone come for you tomorrow night." Harry smiled.
"Thank you, sir." He spoke. When Dumbledore was gone, Rose and Harry remained quiet. "Rose." He began. "May I see them?" He asked. "The memories, can you show me?" He asked her and she nodded happily. Rose slid the necklace around harry and searched through the memory vials for the one he wanted. It was the one of her birth where lily was named her godmother and then she followed with the one when their memories were taken. Harry took off the necklace, teary eyed.
"She kept her promise, Harry. She wrote your mother every day, until it happened." Rose spoke. "I'm not sure if you want to see this one." She said, but Harry nodded, and she put the necklace around them both, as she had with Draco. "We can see it together." She held his hand.
In a small cottage, on the outskirts of a small town, Amelia sat with her hands in her face. Baby Rose slept on the bed in the corner room and Amelia tried to cover her sobs in her hands. When a knock came at the door, she lifted her wand. She cracked open the door and looked at who was there. Dumbledore stepped inside, fully cloaked, wearing a grim face. She continued to wait for other, but no one came.
"I'm alone." He told her.
"Alone? Where is Harry?" She asked him, a new panic struck through her. When Dumbledore did not answer she raised her voice. "Where is Harry, Albus?!" she asked, and Dumbledore put his hands on his temple.
"We should speak Amelia, calmly. We don't want to wake your daughter. Perhaps over tea?" He said and she nearly slapped him.
"I don't want to speak over tea. WERE. IS. MY. GODSON?" she said rather loudly.
"He's with his aunt and Uncle." Dumbledore said.
"Lily's sister? What gives you the right?" She asked. "I made her a promise. I vowed to keep him safe if anything should ever happen." She told him.
"I understand." He said and that enraged her.
"You understand? How could you understand a mother's love? I must tell him about his parents and the sacrifices they made for him. I must remind him that even though they are gone, their love lives on in him. I must tell him that he had his mother's eyes and that I would have given my own for him to be with her. Petunia will not love him like her own, she will not care for the boy. You should see how she spoke to Lily all those years ago." She said and Dumbledore waited.
"There are enchantments in place, systems to keep him safe, that only do so because of the blood his mother shared with her sister. So long as Harry calls that place home, he cannot be harmed in it." He said and she scoffed.
"I can keep him safe. Look at Primrose. She is safe. Please Albus." She sat beside him and took his hand. "Please, I beg you. Bring me Harry and give Sirius his memories back. Together we will make sure that they are well protected. It's what Lily and James wanted." She cried.
"It is what is for the best Amelia. Now, there is something else I must tell you, but I implore you to keep your head. Your daughter still needs you." He said and she scowled at him. "When Voldemort found them, there was magically no way for it to happen. The spell held. The charm worked. He should not have been able to see them or get to them where they were hidden." He told her.
"Yes, it's why my husband is not with us." She told him.
"It seems that Sirius has betrayed us all." He spoke and she stared at him, waiting for him to finish.
"You can't really believe that?" She asked. "Albus, Sirius would never betray James and Lily. He'd sooner die." She spoke.
"That's not all." He looked away from her. "He was seen killing no less then twenty muggles shortly after and they've found that among the dead, was Peter Pettigrew." She gasped.
"Peter is dead?" Dumbledore nodded. "It wasn't Sirius." She stated but Dumbledore shook his head. "It wasn't Sirius!" She spoke. "I'll just have to find him and prove it to you." She stood up. "I beg you to stay with Primrose until I return, please I have to find Sirius." She said but Albus blocked the door.
"I'm afraid they've already found him, Amelia." He spoke. "He's been taken to Azkaban." She stumbled back.
"You let them take him to Azkaban? What is wrong with you?!" She screamed. "You get him back Albus! You get him out, now!" The memory faded and Harry looked at Rose wide eyed.
"He didn't kill anyone." Harry reiterated. "It was Wormtail who betrayed my parents." He told her.
"I know that. I didn't need proof; I saw how much they cared about each other." She told him. "Harry, I'm sorry for how I treated you during my time at Hogwarts. I needed Umbridge to trust me, so I could stay at Hogwarts, but I never meant to hurt you. When Dumbledore gave me these memories, I wanted to show you. But by then, you all but hated me." She said and he nodded.
"I don't hate you." He told her.
"Dinner!" Remus shouted and they stood up heading towards the kitchen. Harry led the way and they sat down. The kitchen smelled great, and Harry had to admit to never seeing Sirius so joyous. When they had finished two helpings of the Sheppard's Pie Sirius and Remus had made, they drank butterbeers.
"To Lily and James." Remus raised his glass.
"To Lily, James, and Lia." Sirius added. Rose smiled and raised her own glass.
"I wish they could see us now." She said and Remus and Sirius looked at one another.
"They can." Sirius said. "I truly believe that they are all close by, looking over us." He spoke.
"Of course, they are." Remus added.
"And I'd like to tell you both, how much I love you. You are truly amazing examples of them all." Harry and Rose smiled.
"What happens now?" Harry asked.
"Dumbledor insists that you return to the Dursley's once the school year finishes, but I think that only for a short visit. We have too much to catch up on." Sirius told them.
"And Rose? Will you be returning to Hogwarts?" Harry asked.
"I don't think I'd be welcomed back." She spoke.
"I'm sure Dumbledore would make an acceptation, if it's what you wanted." Remus told her.
"I was actually hoping to stay with you." She looked at Sirius. "We've missed so much time together and I don't want to miss anymore." She said and Harry looked at Sirius who wore a genuine smile now. "Would it be alright if I stayed?" She asked him.
"There is no where I would rather have you, than with me." He smiled.
Dumbledore walked through the narrowed halls of the Ministry of Magic. The hall was all but empty, but as he approached the office of the Minister of Magic, he could hear loud discussions. Alaster Moody stood beside the door and Rufus Scrimgeour sat at his desk.
"Albus." Alastar called out when he saw Dumbledore approach. "Thank you for coming." He said to him.
"What is this about?" Dumbledore asked. Scrimgeour stood and walked towards the front of his desk.
"Bring him in." He spoke to his wand.
"I insisted brining the prisoners to Azkaban myself. While I was there, this one would not stop talking." Moody pointed to the door, as someone came in dragged in magical chains. Dumbledore recognized him instantly.
"Alexander Avery." Dumbledore spoke. "And what may I ask, caused you to bring him back here?" He asked them.
"Speak." Moody tapped his cane against the floor and Alexander took in a deep breath. "Tell him what you said." Moody said. "Now!" He threatened. Alexander remained silent, staring at his feet.
"Useless." The minister muttered.
"What is it?" Dumbledore asked.
"He says the girl's mother lives." Dumbledore stared at Moody wide eyed and then lifted Alexander's chin with his wand.
"Tell me what you've done." He said to him. Alexander smiled and his eyes looked up at Dumbledore. When he stood up fully, he was just as tall as Dumbledore.
"You tell my niece that if she ever wishes to see her mother again, she will seek out The Dark Lord." He tells him, but Dumbledore does not accept this.
"Does he have her?"
"As he has us all." Alexander laughed. Dumbledore stared at Alaster, while the guards tried to silence Alexander. "You will never find her. Not without the girl. She belongs to us." He said as the Minister waved him away. The guards dragged him away. "She will always belong to us!" He yelled.