Chapter Seven Finally Family
When they got back Number 12 Molly Weasley was in a right state. "WHAT TOOK SO LONG? SPEND A WHOLE DAY IN LONDON WHEN I HAD PLANS?"
"Yes mama." Angel said her head down. The yelling went on for an hour and all Angel would say was "yes mama". Finally, Charlie yelled at his mum to shut up and he led Angel up stairs under his arm. It was just then that she started crying, but it was noble if there is such a thing. She didn't bury her head in his shoulder, just rested it there and let herself be led upstairs. tears only rolled down her cheek.
"Mum, why did you do that?" Fred shouted once Charlie disappeared with Angel.
"You can't treat people like that mum!" George said.
"She knew what I had planned and she decided to go on a holiday. she's irresponsible." Mrs. Weasley defended.
"No we didn't it was much less a holiday than I've ever had with the Dursleys." Harry said now shaking with anger for Mrs. Weasley.
"Peter turned into a rat and they shut down the Ministry so he couldn't get out." Hermione said sweetly, trying not to get yelled at.
"Then he tried to kill me and Angel did this leg kicking thing and got him at wand point." Harry added.
"Then." Ron stammered. Molly turned around, her eyes huge. "Then Amos Diggory went to kill Wormtail for killing Cedric and. and.." He trailed off.
"And what?" Ginny asked.
But they couldn't answer. One of the girls came running into the room crying. "Rachel, what's wrong?" Bill asked as he jumped to his feet.
"Amos. he.he.. Oh my!" She sank down in a chair and buried herself in her hands. She looked up slightly and stared at Harry finding his eyes. "Is it true? Did he kill her?"
Harry looked at Ron and Hermione for an answer. "Well, he didn't mean to. He meant to kill Pettigrew, but Maggie saved him and jumped in front of the curse. Peter changed into a rat and ran before we could catch him." Hermione said softly.
"Why did she save him?" Rachel shook her head in her hands, letting the tears come again. Harry looked at everyone's faces. he knew. it was the same reason his mom rather die than let Voldemort kill him. the same reason Mr. Weasley would still die for Percy even though he is a distant son. "He has a trail next week and no one will defend him. everyone things he did it one purpose." She trailed off again, her cries coming more loudly.
Bill moved over and sat down beside her. He draped hi arm over her back and rubbed her shoulder with his thumb. Harry sat down at the other end with Fred, George, Ginny, Ron and Hermione, talking under their breath about what happened. Harry leaving he bit about Percy out.
"Molly, I'm sorry." Rachel said, drying her eyes. "Angel won't let him go to Azkaban, and the Ministry wouldn't do that to him." Rachel nodded to herself as though telling her this as will. She shrugged Bill off. "I hope I didn't ruin what you had planned for tonight."
"Oh no dear. Actually everything is ready." Mrs. Weasley said brightly. "Come on, Ron, Hermione, you bring him in about five minutes." Mrs. Weasley picked up a cake she was working on and carried it out of the kitchen, Bill, Rachel, Fred, George, Ginny and Mr. Weasley all following her.
"Okay, what is going on?" Harry asked after Ron stopped him from joining the parade out the door.
"You'll find out." Hermione said excitedly.
"Come on, just tell me already." Harry pleaded.
"Sorry mate." Ron said, sitting down and stretching out. "Going to have to wait about four more minute."
Harry sighed and sat down beside Ron, Hermione stood beside the kitchen door peaking out. "I wonder if Angel and Charlie will come down." Hermione said after a minute of silence.
"Charlie will, you know he can't keep away from mum's cake, but Angel. I think something touched her in the right place today, don't know what though." Ron said.
Harry nodded, not wanting to say anything. "Oh, here comes Charlie. but Angel isn't with him." Hermione said.
"Told you Charlie would come." Ron chuckled. "It's about five minutes don't you think?" Ron announced looking at his watch,
"I'd say so." Harry said, jumping up. "I want to find out what this whole thing is all about."
Hermione and Ron laughed as they made their way out of the kitchen. Harry followed close behind. They walked in silence all the way to the living room. Hermione and Ron looked at each and smiled. they took off running into the living room and dove underneath the couch. Harry ran after them, but lost them in the darkness. "Guys, stop goofing around, what's going on?" Harry called into the darkness.
But, he didn't get the answer he wanted. The lights flashed on, "Happy Birthday!" Everyone jumped out; some hiding behind curtains and other behind furniture. Hermione and Ginny ran up and planted kisses on his cheeks, which he gave a fully pink face to.
The whole Order was there; Dumbledore and Arebella even. There was a long table set up at the end with food all over it. There was a highly decorated cake, which Harry guessed Mrs. Weasley finished when after she left the kitchen. Fred and George stole Angel stereo, and music was singing in the room. The fire was blazing and the room was completely different than he remembered. The window was huge and dark blue curtains were pulled the side. The room it's self was yellow with dark blue furniture. The tapestry with the Black family line embodied on it, was gone and a picture of the Weasley family took its place. There wasn't even the house elf's heads on the wall. It seemed the Nobel and Most Ancient House of Black had turned into something else. Their were pictures of the Weasleys, the Diggorys, the Grangers, the Longbottoms and who ever else was in Order, their family pictures and such were around the house. It was the oddest thing Harry had ever seen.
"Open mine first Harry." Fred ordered, shoving a package in his face.
"No, Fred, he wants to open mine first. Right Harry?" George said, smacking Fred's gift down and replacing another package in Harry's face.
"Boys, leave Harry alone." Mr. Weasley said, chuckling.
At one o'clock Bill lit a fire work off and set the couch on fire and Mrs. Weasley ordered everyone up stairs to bed. The party was as normal as Harry had accepted every birthday party to be. He got a present from everyone in the room and the gifts varied from a fake Horntail egg that took Charlie twenty minute to admit it was fake to a Book of Curses from Hermione. The food was almost all gone and Harry felt. more normal than every. It was if first real birthday; sweet sixteen.
He was the last the leave the room, hoping, perhaps, if he never left than the party would never end, but he did and it did. He dropped one of his gifts and went to pick it up when he heard a noise in the living room. It was Kreacher. He was picking up trash and cleaning up the charred couch muttering. "Ungrateful house guests; didn't even invite my mistress to their party." Kreacher fixing the sofa in a snap. "Honor we are to have them here." He said in a different tone. "Honored to have famous Harry Potter here, safe with us."
Harry shook his head and went upstairs to bed. Everyone else kind of tumbled into bed and fell to sleep in seconds. Harry dropped his gifts on top of his trunk and fell into bed, falling asleep without even taking off his glasses.
"Wake up Harry." A voice yelled while jumping on his bed.
"He's out like a light!" Another voice chuckled.
"Get up mate!" A third voice said more softly.
Harry opened his eyes. Sunlight flooded into the room. Ron and Fred sat around him, George standing on his bed.
"Oh, good morning sunshine." Fred squealed.
"Did you have sweet dreams?" George mocked.
Harry grunted and kicked George so he fell onto the bed next to him. Fred and Ron chuckled. "Good one Harry. Now get up!" Fred said, holding back laughs.
Harry grunted again and rolled out of bed, falling onto the floor. They chuckled again and Fred and George left, talking about work. "Come on Harry, Fred and George said they take us to work today". Harry shot up. He grinned and ran to the bathroom to brush his teeth.
When he was dressed he ran outside the hall to meet Hermione and Ron. It had been a week since Harry's birthday party and Wormtail's escape. Hermione smiled at him. "Ready to go?"
Before Harry could answer someone ran into his back. Mark fell back onto the floor. "Hi-ay Harry. Can I come with you?" Mark squealed.
Harry nodded and the four of them went down stairs. Mark was like a puppy. He followed Harry around, nearly worshiping the ground he walked on. "Where is everyone?" Hermione squealed as they passed no one while going downstairs.
"Another Attack." Ron said shortly. "I heard dad telling Dung about it this morning." Ron trailed off.
Harry nodded. There had been something almost everyday now that Wormtail escaped the Ministry. "Well, come on!" Mark said after a moment. "We are going to have fun today! Don't let some ole stinking guy ruin it!" Mark squealed. "Ooo, do you think we could get some of our school stuff today?"
"Nope, mum taking us next week, besides, you don't any money Mark." Hermione said sweetly. Mark blushed and nodded.
"How are we getting there anyway?" Harry asked when they entered the kitchen. Eggs, Bacon, toast, the works, were waiting for them like a buffet.
"Floo I guess." Ron said, helping himself for eggs and sitting next to Fred.
"How is Charlie spending so much time away from the dragon?" Hermione said, neatly eating her breakfast.
"Oh, he's on leave. Just for the summer, he still does the paper work and such though." George answer, his mouth full.
"So, you all excited?" Fred asked, spitting egg over Mark.
"Yeah!" Mark squealed, whipping egg off him. Fred and George smiled at him.
"Hey, have any of you seen Angel lately?" Ron asked, now pushing his plate in front of him.
"Nope, not since mum had a go at her. I've haven't seen Angel lay down before that." Fred said sadly.
"Probably in her room though, doesn't want anyone in there though." George added.
Harry smirked slightly. "Kinda gloomy around here with out her." Fred went on. "Tonks said she saw her slip into that room of Black, but besides that."
"And, have you noticed, old Mrs. Black has been taken down. If you ask me, Angel's buried herself into a project." George added, nodding. "Whelp, I guess we better get going, don't want to be late."
Fred chuckled and got up. Mark following close behind his heals. They walked down the street and turned the corner cracking jokes and playing tricks. Mark laughed, even through he had no idea what they were talking about, which made it even more funny. They walked into Algie's house, like Angel without knocking, a strolled into the living room.
"What are we doing here?" Mark said, looking around the room with awe.
"Using the fire." Fred said dumbly. "Ron you first." Ron stepped into the fire and was gone.
"WOW!" Mark said.
"Harry, take Mark." Harry pulled Mark's shirt and dragged him into the fireplace. He threw the powder down, yelled "Diagon Alley" and green flames danced around them.
"WHEEEEE!" Mark squealed as they swirled around, finally landing on the gravel path way. "Let's do that again!"
"No, Mark," Harry sighed pushing the red headed little boy off of him.
"Beautiful landing George, really! I think I cracked my nuts, but hey!" Fred squealed.
"No probable bro!" George retorted merrily. "Come on crew, this way."
They walked down the crowded wizarding market place, but they weren't fighting for space, the people were actually parting for them. "Harry Potter.." "Yeah Harry Potter.." "Peter Pettigrew?..." "Amos Diggory.. No!" Voices followed them all the way down the street. Fred and George stuck their chests out, trying to act important, Hermione and Ron stuck close to the crowd, trying to mingle and Mark hid himself behind his robes.
When they entered the store Harry was red, through embarrassment or anger he didn't even know himself. "Good show Harry! Should put you in a glass jar and business would be booming." George said with a boyish smile.
"Shut up!" Harry chucked the nearest thing to him which was a hand full of candy at him.
"Merchandise Harry, merchandise." Fred said jokingly.
Mark tugged on Harry's robes. "Pst. Harry.. Harry.." He hissed.
"What Mark?" Harry said testily.
"Why are you famous?" Mark asked innocently.
Harry looked up at Fred and George for help. "Fred," George said looking at his twin.
"Ron," Fred said looking to Ron.
"Hermione," Ron said turning on her.
"Harry, I think you should tell him." Hermione said sweetly.
Harry messed with his hair and looked down at Mark. he did deserve to know. "Fine," He said, "Come on Mark, I'll tell you over ice-cream."
Harry put his hands on Mark back and guided him out of the store. "Way to go Hermione! Harry doesn't want to explain everything." Ron hissed.
"But he needs to tell him, Mark deserves to know, and who better to tell him than Harry." Hermione whispered back.
Harry shook his head at his friends and continued pushing Mark out of the joke shop, letting the door close behind them and the bells on it ring. Harry didn't say a word to Mark on the way to the ice-cream shop and Mark didn't say a word to Harry. The sun was high in the sky, burning down on them. It was a lovely day. The crowds still parted for them and still muttered words about Harry, Amos Diggory and Pettigrew as they passed.
When they arrived at Florean Fortesue's Ice Cream Parlor, Harry order two Sundays. "That will be two sickles dear la.." Florean Fortesuea stopped mid sentence. "Harry? Is that you lad?" Harry ignored the comment and reached inside his pocket and laid two sickles on the counter. "Oh, no. it's on the house laddie." Florean said, forcing a smile. Harry stared at him blankly as he returned the money to his pocket. Florean gave him the two ice-creams. "Have a nice day Harry." The man said, forcing another weird smile.
"Err. thanks." Harry took the Sundays and found seats as far away from everyone he could find. He handed Mark his ice-cream and started eating his own slowly.
"Harry. why does everyone treat you like this?" Mark asked after a few bites.
"Well." Harry started.
"Harry, tell me. Why are you famous?" Mark said excitedly, scooting closer to him.
"Well. I guess it begins with Voldemort. he's a really dark wizards, baddest of the bad I'd say. And one night when I was only a baby, he came to my house and tried to kill me." Harry said, looking at his ice- cream. "He killed my mum and my dad, but he couldn't kill me."
"Why couldn't Voldemort kill you?" Mark said, rather too loudly, because a couple of witches behind them shrieked and scurried away.
"Shh Mark, wizards are scared of the name. that's how terrifying he was. they are scared to speak his name." Harry said in a harsh undertone.
"Sorry," Said Mark, "So why couldn't he kill you?"
"Well, because my mum died to save me. it's some kind of old school magic where her sacrifice protected me. like her love ran through my veins." Harry said, more to himself then to Mark.
"Awe!" cried unison voices behind them.
Harry spinned around to see the Patil twins and Lavender Brown standing behind there with their bags in their hands. Harry turned bright red and slowly turned back around. "We're sorry Harry, didn't mean to embarrass you any, just heard someone shriek and then saw you and Ron. wait, that's not Ron." Lavender said with surprise.
"Nope," Mark said, wiping his hands on his jeans, "I'm Mark Evans." He introduced brightly holding out his hand to them,
"Awe!" They said in unison again.
"This is Lavender Brown, my sister Padam and I'm Parvati." She said, shaking his small hand. "Well, anyway, we were just on our way to Fred and George's. I guess we'll see you at school Harry."
Harry wave them off, "And me! I start at Harry's school this year!" Mark yelled at them excitedly. They did another "awe" unison song and left.
"They're nice." Mark said, once he calmed down again. "Okay, where were we? Oh, right after he tried to kill you."
"Err. right. well, he couldn't kill me. So Hagrid, he's the Hogwarts games keeper and one of the teachers took me to the Dursleys because Aunt Petunia was my mum's sister and some of that sacrifice would still be strong around my mum's blood." Mark nodded for Harry to go one. "Well, Sirius was my god father and my guardian, he was also my parent's best friend. Well, to protect our house from Voldemort, my parents used the Fidelius Charm. It's like the Order, you can only see it and enter it when the Secret Keeper tell you where it is. Well, my dad wanted Sirius to be the Secret keeper, but Sirius had a shady family. his mum hated him, his cousin's and brother were death eaters." Harry trailed off.
"And." Mark urged on.
Harry went on to explain how Peter was the real secret keeper, how Sirius persuaded his dad to switch at the last moment. He described his first year at Hogwarts to Mark, about the Sorcerer's Stone, he went through his journey down the Chamber of Secrets, he told him about the first time he met Sirius and the Dementors and then, to his dismay, Harry told him about Voldemort's return, which surprisingly brought tears to Mark's eyes.
"He can't be back though Harry.." Mark said breathlessly. "You'd have stopped him."
"But I didn't." Harry said shamefully.
"Is there anything else?" Mark said, wiping his eyes.
Then Harry told him about the night at the Department of Mysteries and how the Minister of Magic didn't believe them till then and finally, he told Mark about last week when Sirius's name was clear, Mrs. Pettigrew was killed and Peter escaped again leaving Amos Diggory in chains.
"That's awful, he just wanted to kill Wormtail, I don't blame him. He didn't need to kill Cedric." Mark said. And it was then that Harry came back to the small table outside the ice-cream parlor. The sun was blocked by something, and shadows was all around them. Harry looked up and saw a crowd all around him, women holding their children, men covering their mouths and teenagers looking at him in awe. Harry yanked Mark and literately carried him back to the Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes.
He was half way there when a small tree and a patch of flower caught his eye. There were purple pink flowers planted around the bottom of the tree. And there it was. A black down with big hazel eyes transfixed on Harry. Its mouth was clamp on one of the flowers as through trying to hide it's self. He stopped and let of Mark's arm. He stared at the dog. a slightly smaller black dog than he remembered but it was still a large black dog. "Sirius." He whispered.
"What did you say?" Mark asked, tugging on his sleeve. Harry looked down at him and looked back at the dog. It was gone. He was imagining things. He regained Mark's arm and continued carrying him back to the shop.
He pushed open the door, dropped Mark's arm and stormed off to the back room. Ron and Hermione followed behind him. "Harry, what happened?" Hermione asked.
"The lot of them. a whole dang street of them, surrounded me and listened while I told Mark. everything!" Harry hissed.
"Did you say anything important?" Ron asked testidly.
"No. just the bit about Voldemort returning and last year, but I didn't mention anything I shouldn't have." Harry said sulkily. "And I'm seeing things." He added.
"What do you mean?" Hermione squeaked.
"I was on my way back and. I saw a black dog." Harry said under his breath.
"Oh, Harry, you probably did. But just because you see a black dog doesn't mean anything." Ron said. Harry nodded, not wanting to extend the conversation into the fact the dog was staring at him. no looking at him. and had big hazel eyes. but all dogs have big eyes, right?
Fred entered the room. He threw Harry a candy, one he caught. "Good one Harry. Eat it, one of the less humorous ones, but it should cheer you up." Fred left the room. Harry turned the candy over and read, "Harry Potter Happy Punchers." Harry did smile at this and popped the candy into his mouth. Warmth surged over him and he sort of forgot everything that just happened. *
When they got back to the Order it was the worst Harry has ever seen it. "Mad-Eye! Shit, where did that mother lover go. MAD EYE!" Tonks screamed as she passed them.
"Oh, Fred, George, there you are." Mr. Weasley panted running toward them. "Emergency, now, downstairs."
Bill and Dung came rushing down the steps holding maps and parchment. Bill jumped over the banister and flung open the door opposite of the front door, "The Order of the Phoenix." Mrs. Weasley, Emmelin, Hestia, Arebella, Rachel and a women who looked remarkably like the Patial twins came sprinting down the hall way from the kitchen with bottles of water, cups, and jugs of coffees in their hands. They too followed the path of Bill and Dung. Mr. Weasley grabbed his twin son's arms and drug them off behind the door.
"Whoa!" Ron said as soon as the door shut. "That was weird." Ron shook his head and went to the stairs. Just then Kingsely, Elphias and Algie rushed passed them, shirts untucked and hair astray. Ron glued himself to the wall as they passed. "Mad House!" Ron yelled after them.
Hermione skipped across the room to the stairs after Sturgis, Dedalus and two other men ran to the door. "This is purely insane!" Hermione squealed, hanging onto the banister. "Let's get up stairs before we get run over." Harry and Mark shook their head and race up the stairs after Ron and Hermione.
They went into the Boy's Dormitory and sat down on the beds, Harry and Ron stretching out. "What do you suppose happened?"
"Nothing good." Came a voice from the door. Ginny stood their leaned against the frame. "Been rushing around for fifteen minutes now, something about another attack." She continued. "Mum was scared you all got hurt, nearly pulled her brains out when Fred and George didn't being you back in time."
"What happened?" Mark asked.
"No idea, I think Angel tipped them off, but I haven't seen her. Charlie is still looking for her." Ginny said as she sat on the bed next to Hermione. Mark jumped to his feet and went to the door. Right as rain, Angel and Charlie came rushing in the front door and behind the door leading to the Order.
"That's werid." Hermione said.
"Too, weird," Harry corrected. He threw his legs off the bed and stood. He walked to the door and pushed passed Mark, going down the hall way.
"Harry where do you think you're going?" Ron asked, jumping up to follow him.
Harry just realized where his feet were taking him. Harry stopped dead in his tracks. He turned to face Ron and ruffled his hair. He was going to go in Angel's bed room. he often found himself skipping the boy's dorm by feet and yards down the hall way before he realized what he was doing, but he had never gotten this far before. What was Angel hiding? And why was the door still graced with his god father's name? "I was just wandering what was in here." Harry said, turning back around and stopping in front of the door labeled, "The Nobel and Most Ancient House of Black."
"Oh," Ginny said, coming up beside him. "You can go in if you want. Kreacher told me this morning after you left."
"Why would Kreacher tell you that?" Ron said now standing beside her.
"Because after you all left, I had nothing to do. He told me I might find what's in here interesting." Ginny said shrugging her shoulder. "But Martha needed help with something so I haven't been in yet." Ginny reached for the door knob and pushed the door open.
"MISTRESS VIGINIA!" came a small squeaking voice. "NO!"
"Kreacher, but you said I could go in this morning." Ginny said, closing the door again.
"Yes, but Mistress Victoria is in there now. She is still mad about what happened, even yelled at Kreacher when he hung her back up." Kreacher said nodding. "Kreacher told Mistress Sirius Angel to hide her away, but she said the Mistress Victoria was part of the family. Mistress Sirius Angel is very wise, very more wise than Mistress Victoria thinks."
"Oh, right Kreacher." Hermione said brightly. "Thanks for the warning; I don't think the Order would have been pleased to be interrupted by Mrs. Black's screaming."
Kreacher went pink and disappeared. The five of them stood in front of the door staring at it. It was some time before any of them spoke. "How about we start dinner?" Hermione said after shaking away from her thought.
"Yeah, sounds good." Ginny said. And the girls turned and walked down the hall way.
"Come on Mark." Ron picked Mark up and put him on his shoulder. Mark squealed in delight and hung to Ron's ears and they disappeared down the stairs.
Harry turned around and stared down the hall at the last door. He made a set toward it but stopped. He turned back around and went down stairs.
"What should we make?" Mark asked, pulling a chair up and standing on it so he could see over the counter.
"Something easy . something good." Ron said, biting into an apple.
Hermione shook her head. Just then seven people walked into the kitchen. "What are earth are you five doing?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"We thought we help make supper mum." Ginny answered putting the chair that Mark dragged across the floor back.
"We've got it take care of dears, go do homework or something." Rachel said sweetly.
"HOMEWORK!" Hermione squealed. "I totally forgot about it!" Ron chuckled and followed the muttering Hermione out of the room. Ginny jumped up and ran after them.
"Don't you have any homework?" said a voice from the door.
"Nope!" Mark said happily getting up to great the girl in the door.
Angel chuckled, "I meant Harry dear." Mark turned red.
"I finished it at the stinkin' Dursley's." Harry said scornfully. He pushed pasted Angel and followed after Ron and Hermione. He didn't know why, but at the moment he was furious with Angel. *
After they ate, half the order left; only the Weasley's, Remus, Dung, Tonks and Angel were left. It had been a long day and after the kitchen was cleaned up everyone made their way to bed. It was dark when Harry woke, but he doubt he was every really asleep. He just felt like he was lying under the covers forcing his eyes shut, never really drifting off. He threw the covers back and swung his legs off the bed. He messed with his hair and reached for his glassed. Every night there was a different amount of bed, it just depended on who was sleeping there that night. So right now there were only nine total beds in the room.
Harry looked around the black ward. Moonlight scanned across the floor and made everything look blue. He sighed as he spotted all his birthday cards and letters from the point he got there. Harry got up and went to his trunk. Silently, he opened it and retrieved his box of letters. He sat down on his bed and dumped the box out. Harry filtered through the letters till he found what he was looking for. He pocketed the parchment, replaced the rest of the letters and added the ones from around his bed. Harry put the box back in the trunk and snapped it shut.
Harry pulled a sweated over his pj's and made his way to the kitchen silently. When he opened the door he spotted something he didn't intent to see, something that actually made him jump. "Who's there?" He hissed into the darkness.
"Harry? Is that you?" Angel turned and looked at him, he face lit by candle light. "What are you doing up?"
"Couldn't sleep, and I did have some homework left." He sat down across from Angel. She was still dressed in her black robes, the ones with the Black family crest on the chest. Her hair was up in a messy bun and her face looked old and sleepless.
"Here," Angel pushed a shiny red oak box forward. It was curved beautifully. There were tiny, gold lion heads at the bottom giving the box a little lift. On the top of the box was a crest; a shield. It was gold trimmed and the inside was ruby red. There was a lion reared up on its hind legs on the left side and a stag on the other, reared up also. In the middle was a big "P", the line being a sword. Underneath the "P" and still part of the crest where the words, "Never Really Gone." "It was your dad's. It was suppose to be your birthday present, but I felt like I should give it to you privately."
Harry was thunder struck. He had never seen anything more beautiful in his life. He went to open it, but it was locked. "Is there a key?" He asked blankly.
"Oh," Angel said the smile washing from her face, "Oh."
"Oh what?" Harry said.
"Well, this is a special kind of box. It's kind of a Secret Box. It holds everything you would ever want to know about your past and can tell you bits about your future. But you need a key." Angel said softly.
"A key? Well where is the key?" Harry said, turning the box around to examine it at a different angle.
Angel stopped to organize her words. "Have you ever heard, "You hold the key to my heart?"
"Yeah." Harry trailed off, now completely confused.
"Well it's not an actually key is it? To open this box you have to know exactly who you are with no doubts or hesitations." Angel said, looking at her hands.
Harry just stared. he couldn't open the box because he didn't know who he was? What was this all about?
"Look, Harry's I'm sorry. Give me back the chest and I'll buy you something when we go to Diagon Alley." Angel made a grab for the box.
"No." Harry said, pulling the box to his chest. "I want to keep it. I love it, thanks." Angel smiled and retrieved her hand. Harry just stared at her for a moment. "Look, about this evening before supper, I shouldn't have snapped at you, I'm sorry."
"Don't Harry," Angel said holding her hand up. "Apologizes mean nothing to me any more. You have some reason to be edgy and I take that." She said plainly.
"What do you mean apologizes don't work anymore?" Harry asked, now completely confused.
"You were mad because you had to waste part of you summer with the Dursley's and apologizing for being mad is trying to cover up the fact that you were mad, so don't."
"What?" Harry breathed, not believing his ears.
"I'm sure you didn't come down here to get a theory on life from me, so I'm not going to start." Angel said, returning to her drink.
"No, tell me." Harry pushed.
"You want to know?" Angel said looking back up. "Do you really think you had it bad living with the Dursleys? Think it was cruel to be ignored and underfed and locked in a broom closet for ten years? Do you think it's unfair that Ron has a huge family and complains? I know you don't, because I don't think it's fair either."
"So." Harry said.
"So, life isn't fair. Life is not fair Harry. You probably always ask yourself, 'Why me? Why does everything happen to me? Why does Voldemort want to kill me? Why did he try to kill me and not Neville? Why does all this bull shit happen to me?' huh. come one, you've asked yourself that plenty of times. say it, just say it." Angel said harshly.
"Yeah, I ask myself that all the time. Why am I so special, just because I always slip through death's fingers? No one knows how I feel Angel, no one. They don't understand how it feels for people to wish you've died instead of their son. You don't know how it feels to want to die so bad you wake up wanting to kill yourself. You don't know how bad I miss something I never had!" Harry said, nearly screaming. Angel touched it. She pressed the right buttons.
"So, you think everyone is out against you huh, you think that since your famous Harry Potter that everyone should step out of your way, you think people owe you something don't you." Angel, meeting his screams.
"Yeah I do. wait, no I don't." Harry corrected catching himself. Was she tricking him or was she bringing out the truth?
"Ah, there is no time to think Harry. You have to know. And what you know isn't true!" Angel slammed her fist on the table. "Sure life was hard for you growing up with those damn muggles, but look what I got landed with, the Malfoys."
"At least you were old enough to remember your parents." Harry said tastelessly.
"At least your parents knew you were their son!" Angel said back. "You were 14 when you first had the Cruciatus Curse performed on you. I was four! You think it hurt the first time? Try the 50th or the thousandth, than tell me what kind of pain you had. The Dursely didn't want to see you, Luscious and Lucas would never let me out of sight! They were fucking breeding death eaters, thinking if they installed the fear they have for Voldemort into their kids at such a young age, we might be more faithful than they. It didn't work though; I was nine when I learned to throw the curse off. And I haven't felt a pain anywhere near it since."
Harry stared at her blankly. "You were four?"
"Yes, Luscious was over for tea and I dropped a tea cup. He thought I wasn't discipline enough and put me under it right in front of the whole family.you know what they did? They laughed. the whole lot of them laughed!" Angel's face froze and a tear slid down her cheek. "Lucas didn't though. Lucas turned around and flinched, I never felt him love me more than at that moment."
"So Lucas is okay?" Harry said.
"Hell no, he just loved me. He picked up Luscious's work after that, told him it would make me strong. And he was right."
"Gee, I had no idea I'm sorry."
"DON'T, I'm not sorry and you shouldn't be. They made me strong; they made me realize that I was better than that, that I could break free of all their ways and I did. You grew up in a difficult atmosphere and they formed you into the strong person you are. Harry, you have escaped death and Voldemort more times than anyone! Do you think you could have done that if you were spoiled and treated like that pig Dudley?" Angel said, now calming.
"No, I don't." Harry said shortly, absorbing the information.
"What do you think now?" Angel said clearly.
"I think I." Harry started. "I think you understand. I have friends, people who care about me but," Harry stopped, "I still don't have a family. The Dursleys, no matter how they made me into the person I am, they aren't family. they will never be my family."
Angel stood up and took a seat next to Harry. She draped her arm across his shoulder and pulled him close to her. "Harry, has living here taught you nothing?"
Harry sighed and let his head rest on her shoulder. "What should it have taught me?"
"That family is not blood. Family is people who care. you have the biggest family I know, and they all care about you. Mrs. Weasley could shit a brick every time you get hurt and the entire Weasley brothers, minus Ron, treat you like a little brother." Angel said softly. "I'm not one to go throwing the word family around either. the only family I ever knew was you, my mum, your parents and Sirius. you were all taken away from me for 15 years."
Harry moved away from her and looked at her in a new light. She was just like him. Her family taken away from her and forced to live with realities she hated. And just when she thought she had her life under control something happened. Sirius died. Peter escaped. her world was moving in the same direction as Harry's. Suddenly Harry felt a bond with her, one he never felt before. one he thought you'd feel with a family. "Thanks Angel. thanks a lot." And with those words they left to go to bed.
When they got back Number 12 Molly Weasley was in a right state. "WHAT TOOK SO LONG? SPEND A WHOLE DAY IN LONDON WHEN I HAD PLANS?"
"Yes mama." Angel said her head down. The yelling went on for an hour and all Angel would say was "yes mama". Finally, Charlie yelled at his mum to shut up and he led Angel up stairs under his arm. It was just then that she started crying, but it was noble if there is such a thing. She didn't bury her head in his shoulder, just rested it there and let herself be led upstairs. tears only rolled down her cheek.
"Mum, why did you do that?" Fred shouted once Charlie disappeared with Angel.
"You can't treat people like that mum!" George said.
"She knew what I had planned and she decided to go on a holiday. she's irresponsible." Mrs. Weasley defended.
"No we didn't it was much less a holiday than I've ever had with the Dursleys." Harry said now shaking with anger for Mrs. Weasley.
"Peter turned into a rat and they shut down the Ministry so he couldn't get out." Hermione said sweetly, trying not to get yelled at.
"Then he tried to kill me and Angel did this leg kicking thing and got him at wand point." Harry added.
"Then." Ron stammered. Molly turned around, her eyes huge. "Then Amos Diggory went to kill Wormtail for killing Cedric and. and.." He trailed off.
"And what?" Ginny asked.
But they couldn't answer. One of the girls came running into the room crying. "Rachel, what's wrong?" Bill asked as he jumped to his feet.
"Amos. he.he.. Oh my!" She sank down in a chair and buried herself in her hands. She looked up slightly and stared at Harry finding his eyes. "Is it true? Did he kill her?"
Harry looked at Ron and Hermione for an answer. "Well, he didn't mean to. He meant to kill Pettigrew, but Maggie saved him and jumped in front of the curse. Peter changed into a rat and ran before we could catch him." Hermione said softly.
"Why did she save him?" Rachel shook her head in her hands, letting the tears come again. Harry looked at everyone's faces. he knew. it was the same reason his mom rather die than let Voldemort kill him. the same reason Mr. Weasley would still die for Percy even though he is a distant son. "He has a trail next week and no one will defend him. everyone things he did it one purpose." She trailed off again, her cries coming more loudly.
Bill moved over and sat down beside her. He draped hi arm over her back and rubbed her shoulder with his thumb. Harry sat down at the other end with Fred, George, Ginny, Ron and Hermione, talking under their breath about what happened. Harry leaving he bit about Percy out.
"Molly, I'm sorry." Rachel said, drying her eyes. "Angel won't let him go to Azkaban, and the Ministry wouldn't do that to him." Rachel nodded to herself as though telling her this as will. She shrugged Bill off. "I hope I didn't ruin what you had planned for tonight."
"Oh no dear. Actually everything is ready." Mrs. Weasley said brightly. "Come on, Ron, Hermione, you bring him in about five minutes." Mrs. Weasley picked up a cake she was working on and carried it out of the kitchen, Bill, Rachel, Fred, George, Ginny and Mr. Weasley all following her.
"Okay, what is going on?" Harry asked after Ron stopped him from joining the parade out the door.
"You'll find out." Hermione said excitedly.
"Come on, just tell me already." Harry pleaded.
"Sorry mate." Ron said, sitting down and stretching out. "Going to have to wait about four more minute."
Harry sighed and sat down beside Ron, Hermione stood beside the kitchen door peaking out. "I wonder if Angel and Charlie will come down." Hermione said after a minute of silence.
"Charlie will, you know he can't keep away from mum's cake, but Angel. I think something touched her in the right place today, don't know what though." Ron said.
Harry nodded, not wanting to say anything. "Oh, here comes Charlie. but Angel isn't with him." Hermione said.
"Told you Charlie would come." Ron chuckled. "It's about five minutes don't you think?" Ron announced looking at his watch,
"I'd say so." Harry said, jumping up. "I want to find out what this whole thing is all about."
Hermione and Ron laughed as they made their way out of the kitchen. Harry followed close behind. They walked in silence all the way to the living room. Hermione and Ron looked at each and smiled. they took off running into the living room and dove underneath the couch. Harry ran after them, but lost them in the darkness. "Guys, stop goofing around, what's going on?" Harry called into the darkness.
But, he didn't get the answer he wanted. The lights flashed on, "Happy Birthday!" Everyone jumped out; some hiding behind curtains and other behind furniture. Hermione and Ginny ran up and planted kisses on his cheeks, which he gave a fully pink face to.
The whole Order was there; Dumbledore and Arebella even. There was a long table set up at the end with food all over it. There was a highly decorated cake, which Harry guessed Mrs. Weasley finished when after she left the kitchen. Fred and George stole Angel stereo, and music was singing in the room. The fire was blazing and the room was completely different than he remembered. The window was huge and dark blue curtains were pulled the side. The room it's self was yellow with dark blue furniture. The tapestry with the Black family line embodied on it, was gone and a picture of the Weasley family took its place. There wasn't even the house elf's heads on the wall. It seemed the Nobel and Most Ancient House of Black had turned into something else. Their were pictures of the Weasleys, the Diggorys, the Grangers, the Longbottoms and who ever else was in Order, their family pictures and such were around the house. It was the oddest thing Harry had ever seen.
"Open mine first Harry." Fred ordered, shoving a package in his face.
"No, Fred, he wants to open mine first. Right Harry?" George said, smacking Fred's gift down and replacing another package in Harry's face.
"Boys, leave Harry alone." Mr. Weasley said, chuckling.
At one o'clock Bill lit a fire work off and set the couch on fire and Mrs. Weasley ordered everyone up stairs to bed. The party was as normal as Harry had accepted every birthday party to be. He got a present from everyone in the room and the gifts varied from a fake Horntail egg that took Charlie twenty minute to admit it was fake to a Book of Curses from Hermione. The food was almost all gone and Harry felt. more normal than every. It was if first real birthday; sweet sixteen.
He was the last the leave the room, hoping, perhaps, if he never left than the party would never end, but he did and it did. He dropped one of his gifts and went to pick it up when he heard a noise in the living room. It was Kreacher. He was picking up trash and cleaning up the charred couch muttering. "Ungrateful house guests; didn't even invite my mistress to their party." Kreacher fixing the sofa in a snap. "Honor we are to have them here." He said in a different tone. "Honored to have famous Harry Potter here, safe with us."
Harry shook his head and went upstairs to bed. Everyone else kind of tumbled into bed and fell to sleep in seconds. Harry dropped his gifts on top of his trunk and fell into bed, falling asleep without even taking off his glasses.
"Wake up Harry." A voice yelled while jumping on his bed.
"He's out like a light!" Another voice chuckled.
"Get up mate!" A third voice said more softly.
Harry opened his eyes. Sunlight flooded into the room. Ron and Fred sat around him, George standing on his bed.
"Oh, good morning sunshine." Fred squealed.
"Did you have sweet dreams?" George mocked.
Harry grunted and kicked George so he fell onto the bed next to him. Fred and Ron chuckled. "Good one Harry. Now get up!" Fred said, holding back laughs.
Harry grunted again and rolled out of bed, falling onto the floor. They chuckled again and Fred and George left, talking about work. "Come on Harry, Fred and George said they take us to work today". Harry shot up. He grinned and ran to the bathroom to brush his teeth.
When he was dressed he ran outside the hall to meet Hermione and Ron. It had been a week since Harry's birthday party and Wormtail's escape. Hermione smiled at him. "Ready to go?"
Before Harry could answer someone ran into his back. Mark fell back onto the floor. "Hi-ay Harry. Can I come with you?" Mark squealed.
Harry nodded and the four of them went down stairs. Mark was like a puppy. He followed Harry around, nearly worshiping the ground he walked on. "Where is everyone?" Hermione squealed as they passed no one while going downstairs.
"Another Attack." Ron said shortly. "I heard dad telling Dung about it this morning." Ron trailed off.
Harry nodded. There had been something almost everyday now that Wormtail escaped the Ministry. "Well, come on!" Mark said after a moment. "We are going to have fun today! Don't let some ole stinking guy ruin it!" Mark squealed. "Ooo, do you think we could get some of our school stuff today?"
"Nope, mum taking us next week, besides, you don't any money Mark." Hermione said sweetly. Mark blushed and nodded.
"How are we getting there anyway?" Harry asked when they entered the kitchen. Eggs, Bacon, toast, the works, were waiting for them like a buffet.
"Floo I guess." Ron said, helping himself for eggs and sitting next to Fred.
"How is Charlie spending so much time away from the dragon?" Hermione said, neatly eating her breakfast.
"Oh, he's on leave. Just for the summer, he still does the paper work and such though." George answer, his mouth full.
"So, you all excited?" Fred asked, spitting egg over Mark.
"Yeah!" Mark squealed, whipping egg off him. Fred and George smiled at him.
"Hey, have any of you seen Angel lately?" Ron asked, now pushing his plate in front of him.
"Nope, not since mum had a go at her. I've haven't seen Angel lay down before that." Fred said sadly.
"Probably in her room though, doesn't want anyone in there though." George added.
Harry smirked slightly. "Kinda gloomy around here with out her." Fred went on. "Tonks said she saw her slip into that room of Black, but besides that."
"And, have you noticed, old Mrs. Black has been taken down. If you ask me, Angel's buried herself into a project." George added, nodding. "Whelp, I guess we better get going, don't want to be late."
Fred chuckled and got up. Mark following close behind his heals. They walked down the street and turned the corner cracking jokes and playing tricks. Mark laughed, even through he had no idea what they were talking about, which made it even more funny. They walked into Algie's house, like Angel without knocking, a strolled into the living room.
"What are we doing here?" Mark said, looking around the room with awe.
"Using the fire." Fred said dumbly. "Ron you first." Ron stepped into the fire and was gone.
"WOW!" Mark said.
"Harry, take Mark." Harry pulled Mark's shirt and dragged him into the fireplace. He threw the powder down, yelled "Diagon Alley" and green flames danced around them.
"WHEEEEE!" Mark squealed as they swirled around, finally landing on the gravel path way. "Let's do that again!"
"No, Mark," Harry sighed pushing the red headed little boy off of him.
"Beautiful landing George, really! I think I cracked my nuts, but hey!" Fred squealed.
"No probable bro!" George retorted merrily. "Come on crew, this way."
They walked down the crowded wizarding market place, but they weren't fighting for space, the people were actually parting for them. "Harry Potter.." "Yeah Harry Potter.." "Peter Pettigrew?..." "Amos Diggory.. No!" Voices followed them all the way down the street. Fred and George stuck their chests out, trying to act important, Hermione and Ron stuck close to the crowd, trying to mingle and Mark hid himself behind his robes.
When they entered the store Harry was red, through embarrassment or anger he didn't even know himself. "Good show Harry! Should put you in a glass jar and business would be booming." George said with a boyish smile.
"Shut up!" Harry chucked the nearest thing to him which was a hand full of candy at him.
"Merchandise Harry, merchandise." Fred said jokingly.
Mark tugged on Harry's robes. "Pst. Harry.. Harry.." He hissed.
"What Mark?" Harry said testily.
"Why are you famous?" Mark asked innocently.
Harry looked up at Fred and George for help. "Fred," George said looking at his twin.
"Ron," Fred said looking to Ron.
"Hermione," Ron said turning on her.
"Harry, I think you should tell him." Hermione said sweetly.
Harry messed with his hair and looked down at Mark. he did deserve to know. "Fine," He said, "Come on Mark, I'll tell you over ice-cream."
Harry put his hands on Mark back and guided him out of the store. "Way to go Hermione! Harry doesn't want to explain everything." Ron hissed.
"But he needs to tell him, Mark deserves to know, and who better to tell him than Harry." Hermione whispered back.
Harry shook his head at his friends and continued pushing Mark out of the joke shop, letting the door close behind them and the bells on it ring. Harry didn't say a word to Mark on the way to the ice-cream shop and Mark didn't say a word to Harry. The sun was high in the sky, burning down on them. It was a lovely day. The crowds still parted for them and still muttered words about Harry, Amos Diggory and Pettigrew as they passed.
When they arrived at Florean Fortesue's Ice Cream Parlor, Harry order two Sundays. "That will be two sickles dear la.." Florean Fortesuea stopped mid sentence. "Harry? Is that you lad?" Harry ignored the comment and reached inside his pocket and laid two sickles on the counter. "Oh, no. it's on the house laddie." Florean said, forcing a smile. Harry stared at him blankly as he returned the money to his pocket. Florean gave him the two ice-creams. "Have a nice day Harry." The man said, forcing another weird smile.
"Err. thanks." Harry took the Sundays and found seats as far away from everyone he could find. He handed Mark his ice-cream and started eating his own slowly.
"Harry. why does everyone treat you like this?" Mark asked after a few bites.
"Well." Harry started.
"Harry, tell me. Why are you famous?" Mark said excitedly, scooting closer to him.
"Well. I guess it begins with Voldemort. he's a really dark wizards, baddest of the bad I'd say. And one night when I was only a baby, he came to my house and tried to kill me." Harry said, looking at his ice- cream. "He killed my mum and my dad, but he couldn't kill me."
"Why couldn't Voldemort kill you?" Mark said, rather too loudly, because a couple of witches behind them shrieked and scurried away.
"Shh Mark, wizards are scared of the name. that's how terrifying he was. they are scared to speak his name." Harry said in a harsh undertone.
"Sorry," Said Mark, "So why couldn't he kill you?"
"Well, because my mum died to save me. it's some kind of old school magic where her sacrifice protected me. like her love ran through my veins." Harry said, more to himself then to Mark.
"Awe!" cried unison voices behind them.
Harry spinned around to see the Patil twins and Lavender Brown standing behind there with their bags in their hands. Harry turned bright red and slowly turned back around. "We're sorry Harry, didn't mean to embarrass you any, just heard someone shriek and then saw you and Ron. wait, that's not Ron." Lavender said with surprise.
"Nope," Mark said, wiping his hands on his jeans, "I'm Mark Evans." He introduced brightly holding out his hand to them,
"Awe!" They said in unison again.
"This is Lavender Brown, my sister Padam and I'm Parvati." She said, shaking his small hand. "Well, anyway, we were just on our way to Fred and George's. I guess we'll see you at school Harry."
Harry wave them off, "And me! I start at Harry's school this year!" Mark yelled at them excitedly. They did another "awe" unison song and left.
"They're nice." Mark said, once he calmed down again. "Okay, where were we? Oh, right after he tried to kill you."
"Err. right. well, he couldn't kill me. So Hagrid, he's the Hogwarts games keeper and one of the teachers took me to the Dursleys because Aunt Petunia was my mum's sister and some of that sacrifice would still be strong around my mum's blood." Mark nodded for Harry to go one. "Well, Sirius was my god father and my guardian, he was also my parent's best friend. Well, to protect our house from Voldemort, my parents used the Fidelius Charm. It's like the Order, you can only see it and enter it when the Secret Keeper tell you where it is. Well, my dad wanted Sirius to be the Secret keeper, but Sirius had a shady family. his mum hated him, his cousin's and brother were death eaters." Harry trailed off.
"And." Mark urged on.
Harry went on to explain how Peter was the real secret keeper, how Sirius persuaded his dad to switch at the last moment. He described his first year at Hogwarts to Mark, about the Sorcerer's Stone, he went through his journey down the Chamber of Secrets, he told him about the first time he met Sirius and the Dementors and then, to his dismay, Harry told him about Voldemort's return, which surprisingly brought tears to Mark's eyes.
"He can't be back though Harry.." Mark said breathlessly. "You'd have stopped him."
"But I didn't." Harry said shamefully.
"Is there anything else?" Mark said, wiping his eyes.
Then Harry told him about the night at the Department of Mysteries and how the Minister of Magic didn't believe them till then and finally, he told Mark about last week when Sirius's name was clear, Mrs. Pettigrew was killed and Peter escaped again leaving Amos Diggory in chains.
"That's awful, he just wanted to kill Wormtail, I don't blame him. He didn't need to kill Cedric." Mark said. And it was then that Harry came back to the small table outside the ice-cream parlor. The sun was blocked by something, and shadows was all around them. Harry looked up and saw a crowd all around him, women holding their children, men covering their mouths and teenagers looking at him in awe. Harry yanked Mark and literately carried him back to the Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes.
He was half way there when a small tree and a patch of flower caught his eye. There were purple pink flowers planted around the bottom of the tree. And there it was. A black down with big hazel eyes transfixed on Harry. Its mouth was clamp on one of the flowers as through trying to hide it's self. He stopped and let of Mark's arm. He stared at the dog. a slightly smaller black dog than he remembered but it was still a large black dog. "Sirius." He whispered.
"What did you say?" Mark asked, tugging on his sleeve. Harry looked down at him and looked back at the dog. It was gone. He was imagining things. He regained Mark's arm and continued carrying him back to the shop.
He pushed open the door, dropped Mark's arm and stormed off to the back room. Ron and Hermione followed behind him. "Harry, what happened?" Hermione asked.
"The lot of them. a whole dang street of them, surrounded me and listened while I told Mark. everything!" Harry hissed.
"Did you say anything important?" Ron asked testidly.
"No. just the bit about Voldemort returning and last year, but I didn't mention anything I shouldn't have." Harry said sulkily. "And I'm seeing things." He added.
"What do you mean?" Hermione squeaked.
"I was on my way back and. I saw a black dog." Harry said under his breath.
"Oh, Harry, you probably did. But just because you see a black dog doesn't mean anything." Ron said. Harry nodded, not wanting to extend the conversation into the fact the dog was staring at him. no looking at him. and had big hazel eyes. but all dogs have big eyes, right?
Fred entered the room. He threw Harry a candy, one he caught. "Good one Harry. Eat it, one of the less humorous ones, but it should cheer you up." Fred left the room. Harry turned the candy over and read, "Harry Potter Happy Punchers." Harry did smile at this and popped the candy into his mouth. Warmth surged over him and he sort of forgot everything that just happened. *
When they got back to the Order it was the worst Harry has ever seen it. "Mad-Eye! Shit, where did that mother lover go. MAD EYE!" Tonks screamed as she passed them.
"Oh, Fred, George, there you are." Mr. Weasley panted running toward them. "Emergency, now, downstairs."
Bill and Dung came rushing down the steps holding maps and parchment. Bill jumped over the banister and flung open the door opposite of the front door, "The Order of the Phoenix." Mrs. Weasley, Emmelin, Hestia, Arebella, Rachel and a women who looked remarkably like the Patial twins came sprinting down the hall way from the kitchen with bottles of water, cups, and jugs of coffees in their hands. They too followed the path of Bill and Dung. Mr. Weasley grabbed his twin son's arms and drug them off behind the door.
"Whoa!" Ron said as soon as the door shut. "That was weird." Ron shook his head and went to the stairs. Just then Kingsely, Elphias and Algie rushed passed them, shirts untucked and hair astray. Ron glued himself to the wall as they passed. "Mad House!" Ron yelled after them.
Hermione skipped across the room to the stairs after Sturgis, Dedalus and two other men ran to the door. "This is purely insane!" Hermione squealed, hanging onto the banister. "Let's get up stairs before we get run over." Harry and Mark shook their head and race up the stairs after Ron and Hermione.
They went into the Boy's Dormitory and sat down on the beds, Harry and Ron stretching out. "What do you suppose happened?"
"Nothing good." Came a voice from the door. Ginny stood their leaned against the frame. "Been rushing around for fifteen minutes now, something about another attack." She continued. "Mum was scared you all got hurt, nearly pulled her brains out when Fred and George didn't being you back in time."
"What happened?" Mark asked.
"No idea, I think Angel tipped them off, but I haven't seen her. Charlie is still looking for her." Ginny said as she sat on the bed next to Hermione. Mark jumped to his feet and went to the door. Right as rain, Angel and Charlie came rushing in the front door and behind the door leading to the Order.
"That's werid." Hermione said.
"Too, weird," Harry corrected. He threw his legs off the bed and stood. He walked to the door and pushed passed Mark, going down the hall way.
"Harry where do you think you're going?" Ron asked, jumping up to follow him.
Harry just realized where his feet were taking him. Harry stopped dead in his tracks. He turned to face Ron and ruffled his hair. He was going to go in Angel's bed room. he often found himself skipping the boy's dorm by feet and yards down the hall way before he realized what he was doing, but he had never gotten this far before. What was Angel hiding? And why was the door still graced with his god father's name? "I was just wandering what was in here." Harry said, turning back around and stopping in front of the door labeled, "The Nobel and Most Ancient House of Black."
"Oh," Ginny said, coming up beside him. "You can go in if you want. Kreacher told me this morning after you left."
"Why would Kreacher tell you that?" Ron said now standing beside her.
"Because after you all left, I had nothing to do. He told me I might find what's in here interesting." Ginny said shrugging her shoulder. "But Martha needed help with something so I haven't been in yet." Ginny reached for the door knob and pushed the door open.
"MISTRESS VIGINIA!" came a small squeaking voice. "NO!"
"Kreacher, but you said I could go in this morning." Ginny said, closing the door again.
"Yes, but Mistress Victoria is in there now. She is still mad about what happened, even yelled at Kreacher when he hung her back up." Kreacher said nodding. "Kreacher told Mistress Sirius Angel to hide her away, but she said the Mistress Victoria was part of the family. Mistress Sirius Angel is very wise, very more wise than Mistress Victoria thinks."
"Oh, right Kreacher." Hermione said brightly. "Thanks for the warning; I don't think the Order would have been pleased to be interrupted by Mrs. Black's screaming."
Kreacher went pink and disappeared. The five of them stood in front of the door staring at it. It was some time before any of them spoke. "How about we start dinner?" Hermione said after shaking away from her thought.
"Yeah, sounds good." Ginny said. And the girls turned and walked down the hall way.
"Come on Mark." Ron picked Mark up and put him on his shoulder. Mark squealed in delight and hung to Ron's ears and they disappeared down the stairs.
Harry turned around and stared down the hall at the last door. He made a set toward it but stopped. He turned back around and went down stairs.
"What should we make?" Mark asked, pulling a chair up and standing on it so he could see over the counter.
"Something easy . something good." Ron said, biting into an apple.
Hermione shook her head. Just then seven people walked into the kitchen. "What are earth are you five doing?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"We thought we help make supper mum." Ginny answered putting the chair that Mark dragged across the floor back.
"We've got it take care of dears, go do homework or something." Rachel said sweetly.
"HOMEWORK!" Hermione squealed. "I totally forgot about it!" Ron chuckled and followed the muttering Hermione out of the room. Ginny jumped up and ran after them.
"Don't you have any homework?" said a voice from the door.
"Nope!" Mark said happily getting up to great the girl in the door.
Angel chuckled, "I meant Harry dear." Mark turned red.
"I finished it at the stinkin' Dursley's." Harry said scornfully. He pushed pasted Angel and followed after Ron and Hermione. He didn't know why, but at the moment he was furious with Angel. *
After they ate, half the order left; only the Weasley's, Remus, Dung, Tonks and Angel were left. It had been a long day and after the kitchen was cleaned up everyone made their way to bed. It was dark when Harry woke, but he doubt he was every really asleep. He just felt like he was lying under the covers forcing his eyes shut, never really drifting off. He threw the covers back and swung his legs off the bed. He messed with his hair and reached for his glassed. Every night there was a different amount of bed, it just depended on who was sleeping there that night. So right now there were only nine total beds in the room.
Harry looked around the black ward. Moonlight scanned across the floor and made everything look blue. He sighed as he spotted all his birthday cards and letters from the point he got there. Harry got up and went to his trunk. Silently, he opened it and retrieved his box of letters. He sat down on his bed and dumped the box out. Harry filtered through the letters till he found what he was looking for. He pocketed the parchment, replaced the rest of the letters and added the ones from around his bed. Harry put the box back in the trunk and snapped it shut.
Harry pulled a sweated over his pj's and made his way to the kitchen silently. When he opened the door he spotted something he didn't intent to see, something that actually made him jump. "Who's there?" He hissed into the darkness.
"Harry? Is that you?" Angel turned and looked at him, he face lit by candle light. "What are you doing up?"
"Couldn't sleep, and I did have some homework left." He sat down across from Angel. She was still dressed in her black robes, the ones with the Black family crest on the chest. Her hair was up in a messy bun and her face looked old and sleepless.
"Here," Angel pushed a shiny red oak box forward. It was curved beautifully. There were tiny, gold lion heads at the bottom giving the box a little lift. On the top of the box was a crest; a shield. It was gold trimmed and the inside was ruby red. There was a lion reared up on its hind legs on the left side and a stag on the other, reared up also. In the middle was a big "P", the line being a sword. Underneath the "P" and still part of the crest where the words, "Never Really Gone." "It was your dad's. It was suppose to be your birthday present, but I felt like I should give it to you privately."
Harry was thunder struck. He had never seen anything more beautiful in his life. He went to open it, but it was locked. "Is there a key?" He asked blankly.
"Oh," Angel said the smile washing from her face, "Oh."
"Oh what?" Harry said.
"Well, this is a special kind of box. It's kind of a Secret Box. It holds everything you would ever want to know about your past and can tell you bits about your future. But you need a key." Angel said softly.
"A key? Well where is the key?" Harry said, turning the box around to examine it at a different angle.
Angel stopped to organize her words. "Have you ever heard, "You hold the key to my heart?"
"Yeah." Harry trailed off, now completely confused.
"Well it's not an actually key is it? To open this box you have to know exactly who you are with no doubts or hesitations." Angel said, looking at her hands.
Harry just stared. he couldn't open the box because he didn't know who he was? What was this all about?
"Look, Harry's I'm sorry. Give me back the chest and I'll buy you something when we go to Diagon Alley." Angel made a grab for the box.
"No." Harry said, pulling the box to his chest. "I want to keep it. I love it, thanks." Angel smiled and retrieved her hand. Harry just stared at her for a moment. "Look, about this evening before supper, I shouldn't have snapped at you, I'm sorry."
"Don't Harry," Angel said holding her hand up. "Apologizes mean nothing to me any more. You have some reason to be edgy and I take that." She said plainly.
"What do you mean apologizes don't work anymore?" Harry asked, now completely confused.
"You were mad because you had to waste part of you summer with the Dursley's and apologizing for being mad is trying to cover up the fact that you were mad, so don't."
"What?" Harry breathed, not believing his ears.
"I'm sure you didn't come down here to get a theory on life from me, so I'm not going to start." Angel said, returning to her drink.
"No, tell me." Harry pushed.
"You want to know?" Angel said looking back up. "Do you really think you had it bad living with the Dursleys? Think it was cruel to be ignored and underfed and locked in a broom closet for ten years? Do you think it's unfair that Ron has a huge family and complains? I know you don't, because I don't think it's fair either."
"So." Harry said.
"So, life isn't fair. Life is not fair Harry. You probably always ask yourself, 'Why me? Why does everything happen to me? Why does Voldemort want to kill me? Why did he try to kill me and not Neville? Why does all this bull shit happen to me?' huh. come one, you've asked yourself that plenty of times. say it, just say it." Angel said harshly.
"Yeah, I ask myself that all the time. Why am I so special, just because I always slip through death's fingers? No one knows how I feel Angel, no one. They don't understand how it feels for people to wish you've died instead of their son. You don't know how it feels to want to die so bad you wake up wanting to kill yourself. You don't know how bad I miss something I never had!" Harry said, nearly screaming. Angel touched it. She pressed the right buttons.
"So, you think everyone is out against you huh, you think that since your famous Harry Potter that everyone should step out of your way, you think people owe you something don't you." Angel, meeting his screams.
"Yeah I do. wait, no I don't." Harry corrected catching himself. Was she tricking him or was she bringing out the truth?
"Ah, there is no time to think Harry. You have to know. And what you know isn't true!" Angel slammed her fist on the table. "Sure life was hard for you growing up with those damn muggles, but look what I got landed with, the Malfoys."
"At least you were old enough to remember your parents." Harry said tastelessly.
"At least your parents knew you were their son!" Angel said back. "You were 14 when you first had the Cruciatus Curse performed on you. I was four! You think it hurt the first time? Try the 50th or the thousandth, than tell me what kind of pain you had. The Dursely didn't want to see you, Luscious and Lucas would never let me out of sight! They were fucking breeding death eaters, thinking if they installed the fear they have for Voldemort into their kids at such a young age, we might be more faithful than they. It didn't work though; I was nine when I learned to throw the curse off. And I haven't felt a pain anywhere near it since."
Harry stared at her blankly. "You were four?"
"Yes, Luscious was over for tea and I dropped a tea cup. He thought I wasn't discipline enough and put me under it right in front of the whole family.you know what they did? They laughed. the whole lot of them laughed!" Angel's face froze and a tear slid down her cheek. "Lucas didn't though. Lucas turned around and flinched, I never felt him love me more than at that moment."
"So Lucas is okay?" Harry said.
"Hell no, he just loved me. He picked up Luscious's work after that, told him it would make me strong. And he was right."
"Gee, I had no idea I'm sorry."
"DON'T, I'm not sorry and you shouldn't be. They made me strong; they made me realize that I was better than that, that I could break free of all their ways and I did. You grew up in a difficult atmosphere and they formed you into the strong person you are. Harry, you have escaped death and Voldemort more times than anyone! Do you think you could have done that if you were spoiled and treated like that pig Dudley?" Angel said, now calming.
"No, I don't." Harry said shortly, absorbing the information.
"What do you think now?" Angel said clearly.
"I think I." Harry started. "I think you understand. I have friends, people who care about me but," Harry stopped, "I still don't have a family. The Dursleys, no matter how they made me into the person I am, they aren't family. they will never be my family."
Angel stood up and took a seat next to Harry. She draped her arm across his shoulder and pulled him close to her. "Harry, has living here taught you nothing?"
Harry sighed and let his head rest on her shoulder. "What should it have taught me?"
"That family is not blood. Family is people who care. you have the biggest family I know, and they all care about you. Mrs. Weasley could shit a brick every time you get hurt and the entire Weasley brothers, minus Ron, treat you like a little brother." Angel said softly. "I'm not one to go throwing the word family around either. the only family I ever knew was you, my mum, your parents and Sirius. you were all taken away from me for 15 years."
Harry moved away from her and looked at her in a new light. She was just like him. Her family taken away from her and forced to live with realities she hated. And just when she thought she had her life under control something happened. Sirius died. Peter escaped. her world was moving in the same direction as Harry's. Suddenly Harry felt a bond with her, one he never felt before. one he thought you'd feel with a family. "Thanks Angel. thanks a lot." And with those words they left to go to bed.