part twelve
***********
thank you to those who've reviewed, you're making me keep on writing when i could have stopped ages ago. To those who cant be bothered- up yours.
***********
now then... where was i? oh yes...
Edea sat on the grassy edge of the lake, marking end of topic tests in the sunlight whilst trying to ignore the zooms that could be heard overhead. Harry and Sirius were holding races against each other on their broomsticks. Sirius wanted to make things "interesting" by using blindfolds.
"No way." Harry shook his head, hovering a few feet above the giant squid. "This is just an elaborate sheme of yours to get me squidged by either flying into a tree or flying into the arms of the squid."
"Its a very friendly squid." Sirius tried to persuade. "I'm sure it wouldn't mind."
"And that makes me feel so much better." Harry laughed.
"damn." Sirius muttered. "Eds, persuade him for me."
"Harry, kick him." Edea paused in her marking to look up at Harry chasing Sirius on his broom.
"I do hope you're not condoning violence between students." Professor McGonagall's shadow loomed over Edea's papers.
"Of course not, Minerva. I'm teaching Harry the useful skill of assertiveness."
"I'm sure you are." McGonagall raised an eyebrow as Sirius shreiked after receiving a good kick from his godson. "Immature." She muttered. "Be that as it may, but Professor Dumbledore requests an audience with you immediately."
"Oh... okay." Edea snatched up the stray pieces of paper and sent them up to her office with a movement charm. "Do i get a reason?"
"He shall tell you when you get there."
"That bad, is it?" Edea laughed, walking up to the castle doors.
****
"To return to my own body i must have a sacrificial body to mould to my own form."
"But how master, what sort of body?" MacNair was using most of his willpower to keep an impassive face.
"Any body. A body with power." Voldemort waved away MacNair's indescision. "Someone young enough, but who has stopped growing. A youth's body would not be appropriate."
"Do you have.. any preference?"
"Yes. You have a choice of three- Severus Snape, Sirius Black or Edea DuCruet."
"Edea DuCruet?" MacNair frowned "A female form?"
"It will mold into my form once the ritual starts... You have a choice of three... Let me warn you now that Snape will be the most dificult to procure, i would suggest trying Black if you are running short on time." Voldemort sank into his chair. "Wormtail's body is not the most efficient, and his form is ungainly.. I need my servant in a different body should i wish to continue my work."
"It is understood, my master."
"Alas, where is Lucius Malfoy?"
"In Azkaban, my Lord." Knott spoke up. "Trialed and sentenced a few months back."
"Indeed?" Voldemort shook his head, "Pity, pity. Such a death Eater i am sorry to lose. This time our breaking out of Azkaban shall be more discreet i think."
****
"Headmaster?" Edea asked, opening the door to his office. "You asked for me?"
"Indeed I did, Edea, please, take a seat." Dumbledore gestured to a chair opposite his desk.
"Is it serious?" Edea frowned, trying to read Dumbledore's expression.
"It is on two matters, the first i am afraid is most likely bad news. The second depends on one's perception of the matter."
"Go on."
"Voldemort, weak as he may be, is recruiting new Death Eaters, this i am sure of... but from a spy in his ranks i have heard he is planning to extract himself from he body of Wormtail, and return to his previous form."
"Oh... dear." Edea rolled her eyes, "Never gives up."
"Indeed he does not." Dumbledore agreed, "I must ask you to keep this piece of information quiet."
"Of course."
"Not even Sirius please."
"I understand, but tell me, how did you find out.. if Severus isn't within his circle any longer?"
"That.. is betwenn me and myself."
Edea nodded, raising an eyebrow. "And the second issue?"
"I'm concerned about you Edea." Dumbledore rested his chin on his fingertips, "But more about the well being of your son."
"How... the hell did you know?"
"You think Severus has not told me?" Dumbledore almost smiled, "I know a lot more than you wish to believe."
"So he's told you HIS story has he?"
"I did not take it at face value. I do not believe you would walk out on him and your son so easily without some extraordinarily good reason." Dumbledore's gaze was locked with hers, he would know if she lied.
"Who else knows?"
"I believe Remus also worked it out, he overheard you talking and talked to Severus about the issue."
"Great." Edea dropped her gaze to her feet. "If Remus knows Sirius wont be far off."
"Thats my concern over the issue."
"Sirius?" Edea sked incredulously. "Doesn't need to know."
"I think he does." Dumbledore leaned back, "He suspects something is up, you know tis too, at least be honest with him."
"He'd kill me, no he'd kill Severus first, then he'd kill me." Edea laughed, "Can you imagine what would happen?"
"I do not believe he has any right to be angry over the issue, being in Azkaban leaving you free to do as you wished he had nothing to say over the issue at the time, though keeping it from him at a time like this, he does have rights to be angry about." Dumbledore stood up, and started pacing, "You should tell him, before someone else does, or he finds out by himself."
****
Sirius grinned, walking back up to the DADA office with his broom over his shoulder. He'd thrashed his godson at broomstick racing and was feeling the afterglow of winning. He whistled a jaunty tune as he rounded a corner an once again walked straight into Snape, poking his shoulder with the broom handle.
"Watch it Black!" Snape spat, "Or were you planning on doing serious damage with that broom of yours?"
"Depends who it is." Sirius grinned wider, "I've got no qualms about damaging you."
"Really?" Snape spat icily. "If i was you, i'd be more careful in future, you wouldnt want to leave that precious wife of yours vulnerable to your enemies would you."
"What on earth... i do happen to think she could beat you to a pulp if she ever wanted to." Sirius flicked a bit of dust of his cloak, "And when she does, i'll be sitting on front row."
"I didnt mean it in that context." Snape smirked, "I cant believe she would be so dishonest as not to tell you..."
"Tell me WHAT Snape?" Sirius had dropped his broom and had grabbed the collars of Snapes robes and pinned him up against the wall.
"Didn't you know?" Snape choked, still smirking. "Whilst you were busy in Azkaban, she went and had a son."
Sirius blanched, then regained his composure, "So WHAT?"
"Dont you want to know who the father is?" Severus pushed Sirius off him, "Might interest you."
"I'm going to cut out your lying little tongue." Sirius growled at Snape. "How Dare you?"
THWAK. Snape caught Sirius' jaw in a vicious punch, Sirius staggered a few steps backwards before narrowing his eyes and aiming a hard kick at Snape's stomach, winding the potions master. Snape bent double trying to regain his breath, Sirius hit again, knocking him to the floor.
"Dont." Punch, "You." swipe, "EVER." punch, "Slander." kick, "My Wife." punch "Again." Sirius drew in a deep breath before picking up his broom and walking in a different direction.
Snape wiped the blood off his face and pulled himself up against the wall in a sitting position. "Vicious temper you have there, Mister Black." He winced as he felt his ribs, "Lets hope your lady doesnt see that in action."
****
Sirius sat on the grass watching the sun set over the mountains. He was staring at the blood caking on his right hand. So what if she'd made other plans whilst he had been imprisoned, she had a right to live, right? Of course she had. Siris shook his head laughing bitterly as he thought to himself. He'd shown himself that he still had that quick temper he was famous for. He'd seen his reflection in the lake, and had a large cut on his jaw where Snape had hit home. It still hurt, a dull throbbing pain that was there as a reminder of what he'd rather forget right now.
"What's going on?" A small voice asked from behind him. "Why are you all bloodied up?"
"Sometimes... you cant help it, kid." Sirius looked down at his knees. "Sometimes its all you CAN do, and sometimes there are things that stop you from doing what you want to do, and you dont find out till years later."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Mister Black, sir."
"Who are you anyway?" Sirius turned his head to see a mop of ginger hair standing a way behind him.
"Ginny Weasley."
"Ron's sister, huh?"
"That's right." Ginny nodded, when he looked at her like that, it was easy for her to see why everyone found him frightening.
"Do me something, tell that brother of yours to get a move on with Hermione, or he'll end up regretting it later when its too late to change everything." Sirius let a small smile creep across his face. "Reminds me of Remus... he waited four years just to tell this one girl he liked her... waste of time if you ask me, she ended up leaving and marrying some Hufflepuff."
"Dont you think you should come inside and let Madam Pomfrey...."
"You know, i must be stupid, to think someone would wait twelve years for one person who they thought had no chance of ever coming back out anyway." Sirius picked a strand of grass, "But she was still there, and Harry was ready to believe me, it made me think anything was possible."
"Anything is possible. You just have to believe in it." Ginny sighed, "I have to get back, its curfew soon, maybe you should get inside too..."
"No, i'll be fine." Sirius watched her run back up to the school. "Black," He told himself after she'd gone, "You're a grade one idiot."
TBC
***********
thank you to those who've reviewed, you're making me keep on writing when i could have stopped ages ago. To those who cant be bothered- up yours.
***********
now then... where was i? oh yes...
Edea sat on the grassy edge of the lake, marking end of topic tests in the sunlight whilst trying to ignore the zooms that could be heard overhead. Harry and Sirius were holding races against each other on their broomsticks. Sirius wanted to make things "interesting" by using blindfolds.
"No way." Harry shook his head, hovering a few feet above the giant squid. "This is just an elaborate sheme of yours to get me squidged by either flying into a tree or flying into the arms of the squid."
"Its a very friendly squid." Sirius tried to persuade. "I'm sure it wouldn't mind."
"And that makes me feel so much better." Harry laughed.
"damn." Sirius muttered. "Eds, persuade him for me."
"Harry, kick him." Edea paused in her marking to look up at Harry chasing Sirius on his broom.
"I do hope you're not condoning violence between students." Professor McGonagall's shadow loomed over Edea's papers.
"Of course not, Minerva. I'm teaching Harry the useful skill of assertiveness."
"I'm sure you are." McGonagall raised an eyebrow as Sirius shreiked after receiving a good kick from his godson. "Immature." She muttered. "Be that as it may, but Professor Dumbledore requests an audience with you immediately."
"Oh... okay." Edea snatched up the stray pieces of paper and sent them up to her office with a movement charm. "Do i get a reason?"
"He shall tell you when you get there."
"That bad, is it?" Edea laughed, walking up to the castle doors.
****
"To return to my own body i must have a sacrificial body to mould to my own form."
"But how master, what sort of body?" MacNair was using most of his willpower to keep an impassive face.
"Any body. A body with power." Voldemort waved away MacNair's indescision. "Someone young enough, but who has stopped growing. A youth's body would not be appropriate."
"Do you have.. any preference?"
"Yes. You have a choice of three- Severus Snape, Sirius Black or Edea DuCruet."
"Edea DuCruet?" MacNair frowned "A female form?"
"It will mold into my form once the ritual starts... You have a choice of three... Let me warn you now that Snape will be the most dificult to procure, i would suggest trying Black if you are running short on time." Voldemort sank into his chair. "Wormtail's body is not the most efficient, and his form is ungainly.. I need my servant in a different body should i wish to continue my work."
"It is understood, my master."
"Alas, where is Lucius Malfoy?"
"In Azkaban, my Lord." Knott spoke up. "Trialed and sentenced a few months back."
"Indeed?" Voldemort shook his head, "Pity, pity. Such a death Eater i am sorry to lose. This time our breaking out of Azkaban shall be more discreet i think."
****
"Headmaster?" Edea asked, opening the door to his office. "You asked for me?"
"Indeed I did, Edea, please, take a seat." Dumbledore gestured to a chair opposite his desk.
"Is it serious?" Edea frowned, trying to read Dumbledore's expression.
"It is on two matters, the first i am afraid is most likely bad news. The second depends on one's perception of the matter."
"Go on."
"Voldemort, weak as he may be, is recruiting new Death Eaters, this i am sure of... but from a spy in his ranks i have heard he is planning to extract himself from he body of Wormtail, and return to his previous form."
"Oh... dear." Edea rolled her eyes, "Never gives up."
"Indeed he does not." Dumbledore agreed, "I must ask you to keep this piece of information quiet."
"Of course."
"Not even Sirius please."
"I understand, but tell me, how did you find out.. if Severus isn't within his circle any longer?"
"That.. is betwenn me and myself."
Edea nodded, raising an eyebrow. "And the second issue?"
"I'm concerned about you Edea." Dumbledore rested his chin on his fingertips, "But more about the well being of your son."
"How... the hell did you know?"
"You think Severus has not told me?" Dumbledore almost smiled, "I know a lot more than you wish to believe."
"So he's told you HIS story has he?"
"I did not take it at face value. I do not believe you would walk out on him and your son so easily without some extraordinarily good reason." Dumbledore's gaze was locked with hers, he would know if she lied.
"Who else knows?"
"I believe Remus also worked it out, he overheard you talking and talked to Severus about the issue."
"Great." Edea dropped her gaze to her feet. "If Remus knows Sirius wont be far off."
"Thats my concern over the issue."
"Sirius?" Edea sked incredulously. "Doesn't need to know."
"I think he does." Dumbledore leaned back, "He suspects something is up, you know tis too, at least be honest with him."
"He'd kill me, no he'd kill Severus first, then he'd kill me." Edea laughed, "Can you imagine what would happen?"
"I do not believe he has any right to be angry over the issue, being in Azkaban leaving you free to do as you wished he had nothing to say over the issue at the time, though keeping it from him at a time like this, he does have rights to be angry about." Dumbledore stood up, and started pacing, "You should tell him, before someone else does, or he finds out by himself."
****
Sirius grinned, walking back up to the DADA office with his broom over his shoulder. He'd thrashed his godson at broomstick racing and was feeling the afterglow of winning. He whistled a jaunty tune as he rounded a corner an once again walked straight into Snape, poking his shoulder with the broom handle.
"Watch it Black!" Snape spat, "Or were you planning on doing serious damage with that broom of yours?"
"Depends who it is." Sirius grinned wider, "I've got no qualms about damaging you."
"Really?" Snape spat icily. "If i was you, i'd be more careful in future, you wouldnt want to leave that precious wife of yours vulnerable to your enemies would you."
"What on earth... i do happen to think she could beat you to a pulp if she ever wanted to." Sirius flicked a bit of dust of his cloak, "And when she does, i'll be sitting on front row."
"I didnt mean it in that context." Snape smirked, "I cant believe she would be so dishonest as not to tell you..."
"Tell me WHAT Snape?" Sirius had dropped his broom and had grabbed the collars of Snapes robes and pinned him up against the wall.
"Didn't you know?" Snape choked, still smirking. "Whilst you were busy in Azkaban, she went and had a son."
Sirius blanched, then regained his composure, "So WHAT?"
"Dont you want to know who the father is?" Severus pushed Sirius off him, "Might interest you."
"I'm going to cut out your lying little tongue." Sirius growled at Snape. "How Dare you?"
THWAK. Snape caught Sirius' jaw in a vicious punch, Sirius staggered a few steps backwards before narrowing his eyes and aiming a hard kick at Snape's stomach, winding the potions master. Snape bent double trying to regain his breath, Sirius hit again, knocking him to the floor.
"Dont." Punch, "You." swipe, "EVER." punch, "Slander." kick, "My Wife." punch "Again." Sirius drew in a deep breath before picking up his broom and walking in a different direction.
Snape wiped the blood off his face and pulled himself up against the wall in a sitting position. "Vicious temper you have there, Mister Black." He winced as he felt his ribs, "Lets hope your lady doesnt see that in action."
****
Sirius sat on the grass watching the sun set over the mountains. He was staring at the blood caking on his right hand. So what if she'd made other plans whilst he had been imprisoned, she had a right to live, right? Of course she had. Siris shook his head laughing bitterly as he thought to himself. He'd shown himself that he still had that quick temper he was famous for. He'd seen his reflection in the lake, and had a large cut on his jaw where Snape had hit home. It still hurt, a dull throbbing pain that was there as a reminder of what he'd rather forget right now.
"What's going on?" A small voice asked from behind him. "Why are you all bloodied up?"
"Sometimes... you cant help it, kid." Sirius looked down at his knees. "Sometimes its all you CAN do, and sometimes there are things that stop you from doing what you want to do, and you dont find out till years later."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Mister Black, sir."
"Who are you anyway?" Sirius turned his head to see a mop of ginger hair standing a way behind him.
"Ginny Weasley."
"Ron's sister, huh?"
"That's right." Ginny nodded, when he looked at her like that, it was easy for her to see why everyone found him frightening.
"Do me something, tell that brother of yours to get a move on with Hermione, or he'll end up regretting it later when its too late to change everything." Sirius let a small smile creep across his face. "Reminds me of Remus... he waited four years just to tell this one girl he liked her... waste of time if you ask me, she ended up leaving and marrying some Hufflepuff."
"Dont you think you should come inside and let Madam Pomfrey...."
"You know, i must be stupid, to think someone would wait twelve years for one person who they thought had no chance of ever coming back out anyway." Sirius picked a strand of grass, "But she was still there, and Harry was ready to believe me, it made me think anything was possible."
"Anything is possible. You just have to believe in it." Ginny sighed, "I have to get back, its curfew soon, maybe you should get inside too..."
"No, i'll be fine." Sirius watched her run back up to the school. "Black," He told himself after she'd gone, "You're a grade one idiot."
TBC
