Chapter Four
Sirius paced the floor of the living room while the others sat on couches thinking. "What exactly are we up against here, Genevieve? I mean, what can that watch do?" He asked.
"It would be easier to think of what they couldn't do with it. It allows anyone the ability to go anywhere within 200 miles of where they are. They could jump though anti-apperation fields, into or out of high- security areas. If they had the mind to they could leap to Dumbledore's desk in Hogwarts." After Genevieve explained Sirius let out a long low whistle.
"So, they really could go anywhere and do anything. They could go in and out of Gringott's vaults and clean the place out." The room quieted for a moment, while Genevieve looked over her three remaining watches.
"No, not anything." She was smiling. "Or else it would be a suicide job. See here." Sirius and the others looked at the golden watches that read 6:00, 8:00, and 3:00 but didn't understand. "Each watch can only be employed twelve times. Whenever it is used the time it displays jumps forward an hour. So this one," she held up the one stuck at 3:00, "has been used three times and only has nine jumps left. The one I put on Harry said 11:00. With only one jump left they will choose very carefully what they do." Though the news was encouraging it failed to raise the spirits of the group.
"We've got to tell Dumbledore that they have it." Harry suggested. "Is there anything we can do to stop them?"
"If a way exists it would be in the Hogwarts library." Genevieve went to the refrigerator to get another bottle of her orange potion. 'She's a true Ravenclaw' Harry thought. "Shall we go back now or after a good nights sleep?" She asked Sirius.
"Don't leave us out Vieve, we're going to." Veronica interjected.
"Nica? Y-y-you want to go to?"
"Well, you are always telling us about those great adventures you had as a kid. Maybe we want to come along for the ride." Sirius stepped forward and from his expression Harry could tell that he was about to say something to the effect of 'there is no room for joy riders' but Genevieve stopped his advance with a firm but gentle hand on his chest. Genevieve and Veronica embraced.
"Thank you, my friends. Well, this will take a bit more planning then. We need to find a light proof cloak, do you still have one? The full moon isn't for another two weeks, right. I can't wait to show you England." Genevieve smiled at her friends and Sirius and Harry were relieved to see it so left the girls alone, found a spare bedroom and went to sleep.
***************************
"Mr. Black. Mr. Potter. It is time to get up." Harry, only partially awake himself, heard Sirius grunt and turn over in the bed next to his, still asleep.
"I'll do it Elden." The door creaked open quietly, Harry opened his eyes only slightly, still tired and hoping he could catch a few more hours sleep, to see a woman in a robe. Without his glasses he couldn't make out any more details. The woman looked at him then approached Sirius' bed and whispered playfully to him.
"Sirius, you handsome dog you. Good morning." Sirius grunted again and Genevieve kept talking to help him wake up. "I trust you slept well. We tried to keep the noise down so you could, but we had meetings last night with most of my friends here in the building. Elden is going to stay to run things." She watched him fall deeper asleep and tugged his shoulder slightly. "Sirius, sweetheart, I hate to wake you but we are on an urgent mission to save the world after all."
"I'm tired. Let the world take care of itself this time." Sirius stretched and was going to roll over but Genevieve pulled off the covers to reveal Sirius in nothing but pajama pants. His muscular bare chest slightly glistened with sweat from the night before. Genevieve gasped slightly, letting a barely audible, "Oh my" escape her lips before she could stop it. Sirius smiled and sat up in bed.
"See anything you like?" Sirius teased as Genevieve averted her eyes. He stood up and tickled her waist until she fell to the floor, Sirius flexed victoriously. Harry couldn't contain his laughter. Watching these two old friends managing to have fun during this otherwise solemn time raised his spirits considerably. "Now get out you witch and let us get dressed." Genevieve, still laughing, tripped over her tangle of robes several times before managing to stand and straighten them properly.
"Alright then, but don't take too long admiring yourself in the mirror. Not that I could blame you if you did, but we haven't the time." Genevieve winked at Sirius then smiled warmly at Harry before ducking out the door in time to evade the pillow Sirius had thrown at her.
"Ha, women." Sirius laughed, picking the bedspread and throwing it in a heap on the bed.
********************
After everyone was packed and ready to go they sank down the stairs, the foreboding nature of the task at hand drumming into them with each step. Harry inwardly marveled that three women could pack so lightly for an indefinite trip. Whenever Petunia went anywhere, even overnight, she took at least two matching suitcases, but these three had only one half filled satchel each.
When they only had one flight of stairs left Veronica stopped and put on a shimmering black cloak and pulled the hood up over her face so that not a speck of skin was showing. Rebecca led her by the shoulder out of the building and into the side alley. Sirius extracted the box with the shoe lace. Everyone grabbed hold and within seconds found Colorado day turned to Diagon Alley night. Moments later, through the large oak tree they trudged up to the cabin, pinned on the door was a note.
"The Weasleys, they're worried about us. We'd better fill them in too." Sirius said to the others after perusing the paper.
"Why don't you and Harry go tell them what we know and we girls will start drafting a letter to Dumbledore." Before Sirius even stepped foot in the house he turned back to the driveway and left with Harry. The girls went inside and found a large guest room down the hall in which they could make themselves at home.
*********************
"You-Know-Who did what?" Arthur in purple pajamas and night cap was pacing at the news. Ron just sat dumbstruck and Mrs. Weasley and Ginny gasped in unison.
"Have you told Dumbledore?"
"Genevieve's writing him a letter now."
"Is there anything we can do?" Mr. Weasley's voice was bursting with concern.
"Just keep your ears open at the ministry. And for the moment we'd better not mention this to many others or we'll be dealing with a widespread panic."
"Understood. Would you like to floo home?" Mr. Weasley held out the jar of floo powder he kept over the fireplace.
"Love to, but can't. My house is not connected to the Floo Network yet." In answer to Mr. Weasley's raised eyebrow that asked why not Sirius explained. "We haven't had a chance to decide on a name for the place yet, but after we do."
"Right then. Why don't we come over in the morning and see what plans we can make. I'll write to my contacts and see what we know by then." Mr. Weasley smiled and walked Sirius to the door. Harry hung back a moment to speak with Ron.
"And I was hoping this would be the year I could focus on my studies without being bitten, chased, drowned, hexed, kidnapped, or stabbed." The statement had just the effect Harry had hoped for as Ron cracked a smile and rolled his eyes.
"Not a chance. Even without You-Know-Who, Draco wouldn't rest until at least three of those things happened."
"See you tomorrow Ron."
"See you."
Sirius and Harry made it silently back to the cabin but as he creaked open the door stopped abruptly upon hearing his own name.
"But he's Sirius Black!" Veronica had said it, he was sure.
"I know, Nica, I know. But he's just." Genevieve was obviously exasperated and couldn't finish.
"Just what Vieve, if you can't tell your best friends who can you tell?" Veronica nudged. But Genevieve only made small protesting noises.
"Do you love him?" Rebecca's voice was kind and gentle when she asked. After a long sigh Genevieve answered.
"How am I supposed to know what love feels like? I think he's the most incredible person I've ever met. He's nice and funny and good and.familiar. It's so comforting having him around I never want him to leave. When I'm with him I just feel the world melt away, leaving only he and I exposed to each other." Veronica interrupted, her voice reeking with mock scolding.
"Genevieve Kate Carrington. Have you."
"No, not that it's any of your business. You know how I feel about that sort of thing before marriage and so does he." Genevieve was firm but still flustered. "It's more 'lik'd, but have a rougher task in hand than to drive liking to the name of love'."
"Ooooh, quoting Shakespeare, you must like him a lot. You didn't even do that for Harrison." Veronica teased, but knew instantly she had crossed the line. Even Sirius outside could feel the room chill from that statement. They heard a kitchen chair push back and the clinking of dishes being put away but Genevieve didn't speak.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." Veronica apologized, her voice void of the razor edge that usually resided in her tone.
"It's ok, Nica. We're all just stressed. I'm going to go for a walk. Have Sirius send up sparks when Dumbledore's reply comes." The back door opened, then slammed shut followed by an anguished yet animalistic yell. Harry saw the shadow figure of a mountain lion run into the forest. Sirius transformed into his animagus form, a large black dog, and ran after her.
Harry looked from his god-father to the house, pushed the door open and went straight to his bedroom to unpack and go through the boxes that used to be his father's. They were mostly full of posters for music groups he'd never heard of and quidditch team banners, even a few trophies and ribbons. Copies of the pictures he'd seen in Genevieve's meticulously kept scrapbook were jumbled among the trinkets and used as bookmarks in a few obscure books. Harry delicately hung these and put away his possessions before forcing himself to go to sleep.
Sirius paced the floor of the living room while the others sat on couches thinking. "What exactly are we up against here, Genevieve? I mean, what can that watch do?" He asked.
"It would be easier to think of what they couldn't do with it. It allows anyone the ability to go anywhere within 200 miles of where they are. They could jump though anti-apperation fields, into or out of high- security areas. If they had the mind to they could leap to Dumbledore's desk in Hogwarts." After Genevieve explained Sirius let out a long low whistle.
"So, they really could go anywhere and do anything. They could go in and out of Gringott's vaults and clean the place out." The room quieted for a moment, while Genevieve looked over her three remaining watches.
"No, not anything." She was smiling. "Or else it would be a suicide job. See here." Sirius and the others looked at the golden watches that read 6:00, 8:00, and 3:00 but didn't understand. "Each watch can only be employed twelve times. Whenever it is used the time it displays jumps forward an hour. So this one," she held up the one stuck at 3:00, "has been used three times and only has nine jumps left. The one I put on Harry said 11:00. With only one jump left they will choose very carefully what they do." Though the news was encouraging it failed to raise the spirits of the group.
"We've got to tell Dumbledore that they have it." Harry suggested. "Is there anything we can do to stop them?"
"If a way exists it would be in the Hogwarts library." Genevieve went to the refrigerator to get another bottle of her orange potion. 'She's a true Ravenclaw' Harry thought. "Shall we go back now or after a good nights sleep?" She asked Sirius.
"Don't leave us out Vieve, we're going to." Veronica interjected.
"Nica? Y-y-you want to go to?"
"Well, you are always telling us about those great adventures you had as a kid. Maybe we want to come along for the ride." Sirius stepped forward and from his expression Harry could tell that he was about to say something to the effect of 'there is no room for joy riders' but Genevieve stopped his advance with a firm but gentle hand on his chest. Genevieve and Veronica embraced.
"Thank you, my friends. Well, this will take a bit more planning then. We need to find a light proof cloak, do you still have one? The full moon isn't for another two weeks, right. I can't wait to show you England." Genevieve smiled at her friends and Sirius and Harry were relieved to see it so left the girls alone, found a spare bedroom and went to sleep.
***************************
"Mr. Black. Mr. Potter. It is time to get up." Harry, only partially awake himself, heard Sirius grunt and turn over in the bed next to his, still asleep.
"I'll do it Elden." The door creaked open quietly, Harry opened his eyes only slightly, still tired and hoping he could catch a few more hours sleep, to see a woman in a robe. Without his glasses he couldn't make out any more details. The woman looked at him then approached Sirius' bed and whispered playfully to him.
"Sirius, you handsome dog you. Good morning." Sirius grunted again and Genevieve kept talking to help him wake up. "I trust you slept well. We tried to keep the noise down so you could, but we had meetings last night with most of my friends here in the building. Elden is going to stay to run things." She watched him fall deeper asleep and tugged his shoulder slightly. "Sirius, sweetheart, I hate to wake you but we are on an urgent mission to save the world after all."
"I'm tired. Let the world take care of itself this time." Sirius stretched and was going to roll over but Genevieve pulled off the covers to reveal Sirius in nothing but pajama pants. His muscular bare chest slightly glistened with sweat from the night before. Genevieve gasped slightly, letting a barely audible, "Oh my" escape her lips before she could stop it. Sirius smiled and sat up in bed.
"See anything you like?" Sirius teased as Genevieve averted her eyes. He stood up and tickled her waist until she fell to the floor, Sirius flexed victoriously. Harry couldn't contain his laughter. Watching these two old friends managing to have fun during this otherwise solemn time raised his spirits considerably. "Now get out you witch and let us get dressed." Genevieve, still laughing, tripped over her tangle of robes several times before managing to stand and straighten them properly.
"Alright then, but don't take too long admiring yourself in the mirror. Not that I could blame you if you did, but we haven't the time." Genevieve winked at Sirius then smiled warmly at Harry before ducking out the door in time to evade the pillow Sirius had thrown at her.
"Ha, women." Sirius laughed, picking the bedspread and throwing it in a heap on the bed.
********************
After everyone was packed and ready to go they sank down the stairs, the foreboding nature of the task at hand drumming into them with each step. Harry inwardly marveled that three women could pack so lightly for an indefinite trip. Whenever Petunia went anywhere, even overnight, she took at least two matching suitcases, but these three had only one half filled satchel each.
When they only had one flight of stairs left Veronica stopped and put on a shimmering black cloak and pulled the hood up over her face so that not a speck of skin was showing. Rebecca led her by the shoulder out of the building and into the side alley. Sirius extracted the box with the shoe lace. Everyone grabbed hold and within seconds found Colorado day turned to Diagon Alley night. Moments later, through the large oak tree they trudged up to the cabin, pinned on the door was a note.
"The Weasleys, they're worried about us. We'd better fill them in too." Sirius said to the others after perusing the paper.
"Why don't you and Harry go tell them what we know and we girls will start drafting a letter to Dumbledore." Before Sirius even stepped foot in the house he turned back to the driveway and left with Harry. The girls went inside and found a large guest room down the hall in which they could make themselves at home.
*********************
"You-Know-Who did what?" Arthur in purple pajamas and night cap was pacing at the news. Ron just sat dumbstruck and Mrs. Weasley and Ginny gasped in unison.
"Have you told Dumbledore?"
"Genevieve's writing him a letter now."
"Is there anything we can do?" Mr. Weasley's voice was bursting with concern.
"Just keep your ears open at the ministry. And for the moment we'd better not mention this to many others or we'll be dealing with a widespread panic."
"Understood. Would you like to floo home?" Mr. Weasley held out the jar of floo powder he kept over the fireplace.
"Love to, but can't. My house is not connected to the Floo Network yet." In answer to Mr. Weasley's raised eyebrow that asked why not Sirius explained. "We haven't had a chance to decide on a name for the place yet, but after we do."
"Right then. Why don't we come over in the morning and see what plans we can make. I'll write to my contacts and see what we know by then." Mr. Weasley smiled and walked Sirius to the door. Harry hung back a moment to speak with Ron.
"And I was hoping this would be the year I could focus on my studies without being bitten, chased, drowned, hexed, kidnapped, or stabbed." The statement had just the effect Harry had hoped for as Ron cracked a smile and rolled his eyes.
"Not a chance. Even without You-Know-Who, Draco wouldn't rest until at least three of those things happened."
"See you tomorrow Ron."
"See you."
Sirius and Harry made it silently back to the cabin but as he creaked open the door stopped abruptly upon hearing his own name.
"But he's Sirius Black!" Veronica had said it, he was sure.
"I know, Nica, I know. But he's just." Genevieve was obviously exasperated and couldn't finish.
"Just what Vieve, if you can't tell your best friends who can you tell?" Veronica nudged. But Genevieve only made small protesting noises.
"Do you love him?" Rebecca's voice was kind and gentle when she asked. After a long sigh Genevieve answered.
"How am I supposed to know what love feels like? I think he's the most incredible person I've ever met. He's nice and funny and good and.familiar. It's so comforting having him around I never want him to leave. When I'm with him I just feel the world melt away, leaving only he and I exposed to each other." Veronica interrupted, her voice reeking with mock scolding.
"Genevieve Kate Carrington. Have you."
"No, not that it's any of your business. You know how I feel about that sort of thing before marriage and so does he." Genevieve was firm but still flustered. "It's more 'lik'd, but have a rougher task in hand than to drive liking to the name of love'."
"Ooooh, quoting Shakespeare, you must like him a lot. You didn't even do that for Harrison." Veronica teased, but knew instantly she had crossed the line. Even Sirius outside could feel the room chill from that statement. They heard a kitchen chair push back and the clinking of dishes being put away but Genevieve didn't speak.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." Veronica apologized, her voice void of the razor edge that usually resided in her tone.
"It's ok, Nica. We're all just stressed. I'm going to go for a walk. Have Sirius send up sparks when Dumbledore's reply comes." The back door opened, then slammed shut followed by an anguished yet animalistic yell. Harry saw the shadow figure of a mountain lion run into the forest. Sirius transformed into his animagus form, a large black dog, and ran after her.
Harry looked from his god-father to the house, pushed the door open and went straight to his bedroom to unpack and go through the boxes that used to be his father's. They were mostly full of posters for music groups he'd never heard of and quidditch team banners, even a few trophies and ribbons. Copies of the pictures he'd seen in Genevieve's meticulously kept scrapbook were jumbled among the trinkets and used as bookmarks in a few obscure books. Harry delicately hung these and put away his possessions before forcing himself to go to sleep.