Disclaimer: All of these characters except Rose Lily Potter belong to J.K.
Rowling.
I changed the name of Rose's favorite Animagi from unicorn-Pegasus to Unisus because some people ::cough cough spacegirl!:: thought that the name wasn't very creative.
The Unicorn and the Stag
Chapter Three
Two days later, they were at Hogwarts.
Sirius dropped them off near the Great Hall. "I'll be in the cave. Take care," was all he said before he left. He and Rose climbed onto Starsong, which was possible because she was such a large phoenix. Starsong carried Harry's trunk in one claw and Hedwig's cage in another. Hedwig had flown to the Owlery, and Rose was carrying her little bag.
Starsong stopped at the only open window in the castle, which was noticeable because there was another phoenix sitting there.
*Fawkes,* Harry thought. *This must be Professor Dumbledore's office.*
Starsong flew into the room and deposited Harry, Rose, and their luggage onto the floor...right in front of Professor Dumbledore's desk. "Rose," he said, "I thought that we decided you were staying with Sirius this summer."
She sighed and looked frustrated.
"I had some." she glanced at Harry, "problems."
"I see," Professor Dumbledore responded. "Harry, why aren't you at your aunt and uncle's house?"
Harry opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by a loud snort from Rose.
"Professor, you've been watching him. You've been meddling with Arabella Figg, I saw you."
Harry stared at him. He had never thought that there was anyone who would ever accuse Professor Dumbledore of "meddling."
Dumbledore looked over his spectacles at Harry.
"Harry, I will admit that I have been 'meddling' with your next-door neighbor- she is a witch- so I could make sure that you were safe. Apparently, you were not." He transferred his gaze to Rose. "You're lucky you had your sister to help you. Speaking of which, Ms. Potter, you had better get down to Madame Pomfrey, or she will be after my blood."
She sighed. "Yes, Professor."
She walked down the spiral staircase. Harry started to follow, but Dumbledore stopped him.
"A word, please, Harry?"
Harry turned around and sat back down on his trunk. Dumbledore looked at him gravely. "It is time I tell you everything I should have told you five years ago."
Harry looked confused.
"But...I thought..."
"No, Harry, I am not perfect, although I sometimes wish I am. If I was perfect, then maybe I would have told you this before now." He looked sad. "Before last year. You could have called on Rose for help when Voldemort came. She could have healed Diggory."
"But Professor, I thought you said that no spell can reverse death."
"Rose does not use a spell, Harry. She uses a much, much more powerful form of magic." He sat down. "You see, magic makes a connection between everyone. It is unbreakable. There are a few wizards and witches who have discovered a way to use that bond in a helpful way, like healing. But your older sister has discovered more than that. She can not only heal, but she can also transform into many animals. Yes, the Unisus is not her only Animagus form," he said, noting the look on Harry's face. "I have counted six, and these are only the ones I have seen: Unisus, phoenix, dragon, hippogriff, mermaid, and owl. Have you ever seen a small snowy owl looking through your bedroom window at night?" Harry nodded. "That was Rose. She likes to check up on you, make sure you're all right. That's why she said she had seen me 'meddling with Arabella Figg.' She's your godmother, Harry. As much as the Durseleys hate you, they knew that it would be best for you and them if they were to leave you with her. That alone is what has preserved your ability to practice magic." He noticed that Harry looked uncomfortable. "You have a question, Harry." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Harry responded, "It might be a bit off the subject, but I was wondering how Rose wasn't killed by Lord Voldemort."
"Ah, yes, Harry. I knew you would ask me that." Dumbledore removed his tall wizard's hat and sat it near Fawkes's perch, where Starsong was busy flirting with Fawkes, who didn't seem to mind much.
"Sirius was not the only Black once. No, indeed. He had a little sister. He had always loved her more than anything. She was his favorite person. Until that night Voldemort came to your house.
"She visiting Rose and you when he came. She was standing in the sitting room, right next to the door. She was playing with Rose when James shouted, 'He's here!' Voldemort and a Death Eater burst through the door. James tried to hold them off, but Voldemort simply shot him down." Dumbledore's voice began to quaver. "Your mother grabbed you and Sarah, Sirius's sister, grabbed Rose. They split up. Sarah hid in Rose's room, and your mother hid in your room." There was no mistaking the shaking in Dumbledore's voice. "Sarah's room was closer to the door. The Death Eater came into Sarah's room. He said, 'Give me the child.' Sarah refused. He demanded. Still Sarah refused. So he said those fateful words, Avada Kedavra, and pointed the wand at Rose.
"But Sarah was too quick. She whirled around, so that instead of hitting Rose's head, it hit her in the back. She sank to the floor, but even then she managed to gently fall on top of Rose, protecting her with her body. But the Death Eater simply rolled her aside. He poked his wand into her forehead, and said the curse. But, like it did with you, it bounced back. He was reduced to almost where Voldemort was. But not quite. His curse was not as powerful as the Dark Lord's. He recovered, yet still, now, fourteen years later, he does not have much more power than a second year. But he did regain life. He still lives. And as for Rose, she escaped with only a scar, just like yours, across her forehead." He sighed, and suddenly Harry was aware of just how old Dumbledore was. But he sat up again. "You have another question, Harry?"
"Yes." Harry took a deep breath, and exhaled. "Did you ever find out the name of the Death Eater who killed Sarah Black?"
"Yes. But I don't believe...never mind. The Death Eater's name was..."
Harry leaned forward.
"Lucius Malfoy."
I changed the name of Rose's favorite Animagi from unicorn-Pegasus to Unisus because some people ::cough cough spacegirl!:: thought that the name wasn't very creative.
The Unicorn and the Stag
Chapter Three
Two days later, they were at Hogwarts.
Sirius dropped them off near the Great Hall. "I'll be in the cave. Take care," was all he said before he left. He and Rose climbed onto Starsong, which was possible because she was such a large phoenix. Starsong carried Harry's trunk in one claw and Hedwig's cage in another. Hedwig had flown to the Owlery, and Rose was carrying her little bag.
Starsong stopped at the only open window in the castle, which was noticeable because there was another phoenix sitting there.
*Fawkes,* Harry thought. *This must be Professor Dumbledore's office.*
Starsong flew into the room and deposited Harry, Rose, and their luggage onto the floor...right in front of Professor Dumbledore's desk. "Rose," he said, "I thought that we decided you were staying with Sirius this summer."
She sighed and looked frustrated.
"I had some." she glanced at Harry, "problems."
"I see," Professor Dumbledore responded. "Harry, why aren't you at your aunt and uncle's house?"
Harry opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by a loud snort from Rose.
"Professor, you've been watching him. You've been meddling with Arabella Figg, I saw you."
Harry stared at him. He had never thought that there was anyone who would ever accuse Professor Dumbledore of "meddling."
Dumbledore looked over his spectacles at Harry.
"Harry, I will admit that I have been 'meddling' with your next-door neighbor- she is a witch- so I could make sure that you were safe. Apparently, you were not." He transferred his gaze to Rose. "You're lucky you had your sister to help you. Speaking of which, Ms. Potter, you had better get down to Madame Pomfrey, or she will be after my blood."
She sighed. "Yes, Professor."
She walked down the spiral staircase. Harry started to follow, but Dumbledore stopped him.
"A word, please, Harry?"
Harry turned around and sat back down on his trunk. Dumbledore looked at him gravely. "It is time I tell you everything I should have told you five years ago."
Harry looked confused.
"But...I thought..."
"No, Harry, I am not perfect, although I sometimes wish I am. If I was perfect, then maybe I would have told you this before now." He looked sad. "Before last year. You could have called on Rose for help when Voldemort came. She could have healed Diggory."
"But Professor, I thought you said that no spell can reverse death."
"Rose does not use a spell, Harry. She uses a much, much more powerful form of magic." He sat down. "You see, magic makes a connection between everyone. It is unbreakable. There are a few wizards and witches who have discovered a way to use that bond in a helpful way, like healing. But your older sister has discovered more than that. She can not only heal, but she can also transform into many animals. Yes, the Unisus is not her only Animagus form," he said, noting the look on Harry's face. "I have counted six, and these are only the ones I have seen: Unisus, phoenix, dragon, hippogriff, mermaid, and owl. Have you ever seen a small snowy owl looking through your bedroom window at night?" Harry nodded. "That was Rose. She likes to check up on you, make sure you're all right. That's why she said she had seen me 'meddling with Arabella Figg.' She's your godmother, Harry. As much as the Durseleys hate you, they knew that it would be best for you and them if they were to leave you with her. That alone is what has preserved your ability to practice magic." He noticed that Harry looked uncomfortable. "You have a question, Harry." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Harry responded, "It might be a bit off the subject, but I was wondering how Rose wasn't killed by Lord Voldemort."
"Ah, yes, Harry. I knew you would ask me that." Dumbledore removed his tall wizard's hat and sat it near Fawkes's perch, where Starsong was busy flirting with Fawkes, who didn't seem to mind much.
"Sirius was not the only Black once. No, indeed. He had a little sister. He had always loved her more than anything. She was his favorite person. Until that night Voldemort came to your house.
"She visiting Rose and you when he came. She was standing in the sitting room, right next to the door. She was playing with Rose when James shouted, 'He's here!' Voldemort and a Death Eater burst through the door. James tried to hold them off, but Voldemort simply shot him down." Dumbledore's voice began to quaver. "Your mother grabbed you and Sarah, Sirius's sister, grabbed Rose. They split up. Sarah hid in Rose's room, and your mother hid in your room." There was no mistaking the shaking in Dumbledore's voice. "Sarah's room was closer to the door. The Death Eater came into Sarah's room. He said, 'Give me the child.' Sarah refused. He demanded. Still Sarah refused. So he said those fateful words, Avada Kedavra, and pointed the wand at Rose.
"But Sarah was too quick. She whirled around, so that instead of hitting Rose's head, it hit her in the back. She sank to the floor, but even then she managed to gently fall on top of Rose, protecting her with her body. But the Death Eater simply rolled her aside. He poked his wand into her forehead, and said the curse. But, like it did with you, it bounced back. He was reduced to almost where Voldemort was. But not quite. His curse was not as powerful as the Dark Lord's. He recovered, yet still, now, fourteen years later, he does not have much more power than a second year. But he did regain life. He still lives. And as for Rose, she escaped with only a scar, just like yours, across her forehead." He sighed, and suddenly Harry was aware of just how old Dumbledore was. But he sat up again. "You have another question, Harry?"
"Yes." Harry took a deep breath, and exhaled. "Did you ever find out the name of the Death Eater who killed Sarah Black?"
"Yes. But I don't believe...never mind. The Death Eater's name was..."
Harry leaned forward.
"Lucius Malfoy."