Chapter Eleven: Family Explanations
"Please sit down Clarice. We need to talk."
Clarice sat down in the chair next to Fawkes.
"I think it is time we spoke about your family."
"What about them?" Clarice was nervous to know.
"Your father, my son, Eric was a Death Eater. He was Lord Voldemort's closest friend."
Clarice was shocked. All this time she thought her father was some type of martyr and he was actually a murderer.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"You are old enough to know the truth and now that you know who you are, as people find out they were bound to tell you. I felt that you should find out from me."
"So my father was a murderer! Should I be proud?"
"That is not all I wish to tell you about him. Please, listen to what I have to tell you."
"Fine."
"Your father was not always working for Voldemort. He was best friends with Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape. They did become Death Eaters together because as your father got older, he began to hate Muggles. You see, Clarice, his mother, your grandmother, my wife, was killed by Muggles when he was only a year older than you are now. She had used her magic in front of Muggles to save the life of a young Muggle child. In fear of witches, they killed her. After that, your father changed. He became an aide to Lord Voldemort. However, that was not the only time in his life he changed. Your father loved your mother with all his heart. He would die for her. When he found out she was pregnant, he left Voldemort. He walked away from the Dark Side for you, Clarice. We all knew he would be in danger of retaliation, so I finally convinced him to use the Fidelis Charm and go into hiding. So he took your mother and you and went into hiding. The problem was his secret keeper. He betrayed him after six months to Lord Voldemort. Your father's choice of a secret keeper was Lucius Malfoy. When Malfoy could not convince Eric to return to Voldemort's ranks, he betrayed him."
Clarice was in shock. She didn't know what to say. Dumbledore decided to continue.
"Before my wife's death, your father was a friendly person. He knew Dark magic, but he was friendly with all the students at the school. He was even, on occasion, nice to your uncles James and Sirius, though they were two years younger than he was. He did not turn to the Dark Side until his mother died. He did it because he felt anger towards Muggles for his loss. Voldemort gave him permission to retaliate freely."
"So was my father evil or was he decent, Professor?"
"Your father was quite the decent man, even when with Voldemort. He still followed his heart. He never harmed children or women who were pregnant or had children. Though he tried to hide it, your father had a very soft heart...especially for you and your mother. He loved the two of you more than his own life. He would and did give up everything he ever knew for you. He did not want you to grow up among the Death Eaters. He wanted you to have a better life than that."
Clarice was now crying. She felt that she was responsible for her parents' deaths and because of that felt she deserved what Malfoy did to her.
"So, its my fault my parents are dead. Isn't it, Professor?"
"No, my dear child. Eric died for his love of you...not because of you."
Clarice was now hysterical.
"Professor, but what about the rest of my family? Why does everyone believe my uncle Sirius to be a murderer?"
"My dear, he was. I am sorry to say. Your uncle showed great potential while he was at Hogwarts. However, he ultimately handed James and Lily Potter to them. He was their secret keeper."
"But what if he had convinced James and Lily to use someone else as their secret keeper? Isn't that possible? At the last second, to convince them to someone You-Know-Who would not suspect without letting anyone know? This way, You-Know-Who would chase him but still not get James and Lily?"
"I suppose anything might be possible. However, I myself gave testimony that he was their secret keeper."
"Professor, no! You've got to help clear his name! He didn't do it!"
As she said that, Sirius put his head in her lap.
"Why are you so convinced that Sirius did not murder the Potters, all those Muggles or Peter Pettigrew?"
"I just know he didn't do it okay!"
"What do you know child?"
"Peter Pettigrew was an illegal Animagus. He could turn into a rat. He betrayed James and Lily. Then he went and confronted Sirius to make it look like Sirius betrayed them, and blew up the Muggle street. He cut off one of his fingers and turned into a rat to escape."
"How do you know this Clarice?"
"I can't say."
"I cannot help you if you do not tell me the truth."
"That is the truth Professor. Pettigrew is at Hogwarts. I know he is. I just can't tell you where I got the information from."
With that, Clarice got up and said good-night. It was time to go to her dormitory and relax.
"Please sit down Clarice. We need to talk."
Clarice sat down in the chair next to Fawkes.
"I think it is time we spoke about your family."
"What about them?" Clarice was nervous to know.
"Your father, my son, Eric was a Death Eater. He was Lord Voldemort's closest friend."
Clarice was shocked. All this time she thought her father was some type of martyr and he was actually a murderer.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"You are old enough to know the truth and now that you know who you are, as people find out they were bound to tell you. I felt that you should find out from me."
"So my father was a murderer! Should I be proud?"
"That is not all I wish to tell you about him. Please, listen to what I have to tell you."
"Fine."
"Your father was not always working for Voldemort. He was best friends with Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape. They did become Death Eaters together because as your father got older, he began to hate Muggles. You see, Clarice, his mother, your grandmother, my wife, was killed by Muggles when he was only a year older than you are now. She had used her magic in front of Muggles to save the life of a young Muggle child. In fear of witches, they killed her. After that, your father changed. He became an aide to Lord Voldemort. However, that was not the only time in his life he changed. Your father loved your mother with all his heart. He would die for her. When he found out she was pregnant, he left Voldemort. He walked away from the Dark Side for you, Clarice. We all knew he would be in danger of retaliation, so I finally convinced him to use the Fidelis Charm and go into hiding. So he took your mother and you and went into hiding. The problem was his secret keeper. He betrayed him after six months to Lord Voldemort. Your father's choice of a secret keeper was Lucius Malfoy. When Malfoy could not convince Eric to return to Voldemort's ranks, he betrayed him."
Clarice was in shock. She didn't know what to say. Dumbledore decided to continue.
"Before my wife's death, your father was a friendly person. He knew Dark magic, but he was friendly with all the students at the school. He was even, on occasion, nice to your uncles James and Sirius, though they were two years younger than he was. He did not turn to the Dark Side until his mother died. He did it because he felt anger towards Muggles for his loss. Voldemort gave him permission to retaliate freely."
"So was my father evil or was he decent, Professor?"
"Your father was quite the decent man, even when with Voldemort. He still followed his heart. He never harmed children or women who were pregnant or had children. Though he tried to hide it, your father had a very soft heart...especially for you and your mother. He loved the two of you more than his own life. He would and did give up everything he ever knew for you. He did not want you to grow up among the Death Eaters. He wanted you to have a better life than that."
Clarice was now crying. She felt that she was responsible for her parents' deaths and because of that felt she deserved what Malfoy did to her.
"So, its my fault my parents are dead. Isn't it, Professor?"
"No, my dear child. Eric died for his love of you...not because of you."
Clarice was now hysterical.
"Professor, but what about the rest of my family? Why does everyone believe my uncle Sirius to be a murderer?"
"My dear, he was. I am sorry to say. Your uncle showed great potential while he was at Hogwarts. However, he ultimately handed James and Lily Potter to them. He was their secret keeper."
"But what if he had convinced James and Lily to use someone else as their secret keeper? Isn't that possible? At the last second, to convince them to someone You-Know-Who would not suspect without letting anyone know? This way, You-Know-Who would chase him but still not get James and Lily?"
"I suppose anything might be possible. However, I myself gave testimony that he was their secret keeper."
"Professor, no! You've got to help clear his name! He didn't do it!"
As she said that, Sirius put his head in her lap.
"Why are you so convinced that Sirius did not murder the Potters, all those Muggles or Peter Pettigrew?"
"I just know he didn't do it okay!"
"What do you know child?"
"Peter Pettigrew was an illegal Animagus. He could turn into a rat. He betrayed James and Lily. Then he went and confronted Sirius to make it look like Sirius betrayed them, and blew up the Muggle street. He cut off one of his fingers and turned into a rat to escape."
"How do you know this Clarice?"
"I can't say."
"I cannot help you if you do not tell me the truth."
"That is the truth Professor. Pettigrew is at Hogwarts. I know he is. I just can't tell you where I got the information from."
With that, Clarice got up and said good-night. It was time to go to her dormitory and relax.