DISCLAIMER: I own zip, zero, zilch, nada of Harry Potter. I only own Gatewood House, and those chars not actually in the books that you don't recognize. So don't sue... all you'll get is lint and dust bunnies. Lots of 'em.
GATEWOOD HOUSE, Saturday night, approx. 9 p.m.
Sarah, Brian, and Magen had been gone since Sarah had dropped off the Weasleys Thursday afternoon. Arthur had driven her truck back, and Molly had supervised Floo travel. As soon as she had been sure that they were safely occupied with Harry, Sarah had ordered her sister Magen and Brian to prepare for a counter-strike. Nadia and Tori had put extra warding on the house while Brian and she made a last-minute check on ammunition. Magen was careful to pack Sarah's special tea. When she wasn't looking, Sarah slipped painkillers, a small flask of vodka, and her herbal cigarettes.
They left, clad all in black and weapons in their arms, just as Ron pelted down the stairs to announce that Harry was having a seizure. Nadia and Lady Bryn shoved him unceremoniously out of the way, sending him sprawling into Gabriel and Saskia's arms.
"Go!" Gabriel shouted as he righted Ron and headed up the stairs after Nadia and Lady Bryn.
"Kill some for me," Saskia hissed angrily at them, before she ran up the stairs towards Sarah's room. Gabriel's footsteps could still be heard thumping loudly on the second floor... now he was on the third... With Brian and Magen ahead of her in the kitchen doorway, Sarah hesitated.
"Move!" Adrienne hollered at them, motioning with her hands. Sarah whirled around and they marched outside, dashing into their vehicles. Magen's black convertible, Brian's gray Stratus, and Sarah's black Subaru screeched out of the parking lot seconds later. Nobody mentioned any destination or return date.
So it was that from Thursday afternoon to Saturday night that the residents of Gatewood House threw half-expectant glances at the door whenever a car squealed its tires anywhere near the house. Finally, at nine o'clock Saturday night, two cars could be heard to pull loudly into the driveway. Immediately, Nadia was on her feet and running towards the medicine cabinet. Virginia pelted down the stairs, tripping and catching herself on the wall on the bottom landing. She skidded around to help Nadia pull various herbs and meds from the cabinet as Ron, Molly, and Arthur gazed on from the table in confusion.
The back door banged open, and Brian and Magen came limping inside. They supported each other, neither one of them really fit for doing so. Blood seeped from several nasty gashes across Magen's forehead; her right ankle obviously favored, but her left knee had a large purple bruise that was rapidly swelling; her left arm was wrapped in a make-shift sling. Brian leaked blood from his nose; his left ear was torn, trickling more blood; badly bruised and swollen eyes made it difficult for him to see; his left leg was broken and there was a nasty gash across his stomach.
Arthur jumped up to help and was quickly joined by Tori, Adrienne, Saskia, and Chloe. With great care, the two injured people were assisted to the table. Nadia and Virginia swooped down on them instantly, bearing medicinal and herbal remedies. There was much wincing as peroxide made generous rounds.
"Ouch! Goddammit, Nadia! Why the hell does it have to hurt so much!?" Magen complained.
"Shit, that stings, man!" Brian voiced. Nadia clucked motherly at him, Virginia hushed him with a glare.
"If you weren't such a goddamn eager beaver when fighting, you wouldn't have so many cuts and bruises and... and... and WOUNDS!" Nadia shot back angrily. Magen found the strength to snort.
"She gotcha there, Bri—OW, man, watch what the hell ya doin', girl!" she jerked away from Virginia, who promptly forced her head back into reach and began dabbing it with more peroxide.
"We can't have you making it home the glorious heroine, and then DYING from INFECTION," Virginia snapped impatiently. It was Brian's turn to snort, but he quickly turned it into a near-scream as his leg was set. There were no more retorts then, as the more serious injuries were seen to. An hour later, Magen and Brian were patched up and eating re-heated leftovers. Brian had to be fed his, since he couldn't see for his swollen-shut eyes. Ron scratched his head and frowned when Virginia fed Brian as though she'd done it before.
"They jumped us, goddamn stupid sonsabitches!" Magen griped as she chewed her chicken.
"Watch your language!" Molly cried angrily. Magen just glanced at her with a dead look.
"Its not like they haven't heard it before," she stated, drinking milk, "Anyways," she continued over Molly's outraged cry, "Stupid freaks jumped us before we even got in the freakin' doorway. Sarah got the one who grabbed me over the head, and we lost track of Brian."
"They tried to take me off to somewhere, but Sass and Mage caught up with us. That's how I got the eyes," Brian interjected. "I got cut when another one made a swipe at Magen with a sword. Missed her, got me instead." He had to stop then, as Virginia placed food to his lips and he took it.
"Sarah got separated from us, managing to take about six of them out of commission permanently," Magen took over, "She got about eight more of them to follow her when she took off after Lucy-Loo, DEAR fellow that he is..."
"Who?" Ron interrupted as Virginia suppressed a giggle. Arthur watched the goings-on, a frown creasing his brow, fingers stroking his chin. Molly just sat and stared, eyes following whoever was talking.
"Lucy-loo, our favorite asshole," Magen bit out as Brian guffawed, which he quickly stopped as it pulled at his stitches on his stomach.
"Otherwise known as Lucius Malfoy," Nadia said bitterly, "Sonuvabitch got me one day grocery shopping in London. That's how I wound up with this," she said flatly, patting her pregnant belly, "Don't know who put it to me, and frankly, I don't give a fat damn," she said casually as she cleared dishes, ignoring the Weasley family's outraged and shocked stares, "I just want this over with so we can all go outside without having to watch our backs at all times."
"And I don't want our kids to have to live in fear of some fuck-witted asswipe who thinks that just because he's got the power of the snake-god, he can fuck up the world to suit his dip-shit ideals," Adrienne ranted. She was sitting near Molly, and grabbed Molly's hand mid-air as she was just about her hit her up-side the head. Adrienne placed Molly's hand pointed back at her side without even looking.
"Yeah, yeah; watch my mouth," she grouched, "Can't blame me, though, can you? I hate him. I want him dead, done, and out of the way."
"We all want that," Brian put in softly, turning blindly in the direction of the sink, where he thought Nadia was, "Sarah said to say that she had a few more, er, errands to run," he said. He jumped when Nadia rested her hands on his shoulders from behind.
"I see," she said, kissing the top of his head, "Well, big bro, should we be keeping a look-out for her? Maybe alert the network?" She gingerly rested her chin on the top of his head. He sighed, considering his options.
"Doubt it," he concluded, "She's been wanting to give Dumbledore a, ahem, piece of her mind, so to speak. I really truly doubt that she'll be gone long."
"Your turn to lie down with Harry, Bri—never mind," Gabriel said from the first landing on the back kitchen staircase, getting a good look at what his best friend looked like, "I'll take a double shift." He turned to go back up the stairs.
"No," Molly spoke up, surprising everyone, "I'd like to be with him for a while. If that's alright," she addressed Nadia. The pregnant woman nodded after a moment. She met Gabriel's eyes as Molly crossed the room. The older man nodded after a second, and escorted Sarah's old friend up to Harry's room.
HOGWARTS, Sunday morning, 8:00am
Sirius Black sat in his old History of Magic classroom, watching Professor Binns go over his teaching notes. The ghost had given him a brief glance, not recognizing the groomed and clean man in front of him as the fugitive Sirius Black, also a former pupil of his. Not that he took any notice of who he taught, really; but it was the principal of the thing, and Sirius would give anything to have Hogwarts's only ghost professor recognize him and make a friendly and impartial conversation with him.
He would give anything to have Nadia here with him.
Ever since he'd gained his freedom, her face had haunted him. The image of her had been particularly bright after he'd noticed the way that the Dark Forest was the color of her eyes during sunset. It was times like these where he envied Severus Snape's heartlessness.
Severus Snape; now THERE was a mystery. Sirius felt his old hatred well up inside him, but tampered it down with a fierce battle of wills. Dumbledore wanted them to work together; he was going to have to grow up and put ill feelings aside—however mutual they may be—they were on the same side now. It was time to put the past where in belonged, as Nadia would say.
Nadia again... dear God in heaven... what he would do just to see her face. Her perfect oval face, sprinkled with a few peach-golden freckles; her sculpture-perfect, talented mouth of pale rose; that strong chin, which she raised proudly and her twilight forest eyes... It was killing him not to tell her the truth. He needed her.
He sensed a new presence in the room. Professor Binns didn't even glance up. Sirius turned suddenly around, just in time to see the corner of a black cape flutter past the doorway.
Professor Severus Snape had been watching him... again.
HOGWARTS, Sunday morning, 10:00 A.M.
Even though there were no students in the Great Hall, the teachers still ate there. Severus made his slightly late appearance with little fanfare, grumbling a hello to Dumbledore as he sat down heavily. He drank his coffee black, in one long draught. Then he set about his food. The morning promised to calm, if work-filled. At least I won't have to work with Black, he thought with dark approval. He downed more black coffee as Black himself entered, Remus Lupin trailing behind him. Black, to Snape's groggy and bitter amusement, looked haggard and pissed-off. Lupin, on the other hand, while haggard in appearance as well, looked as if he were dryly amused at his companion's irritation. Severus wondered absently what the hell was going on between the two, part of him dying to know so that he could torment Black about it. The other part of him just plain didn't care. He was about to put more food into his mouth, when there was a great explosion at the doors to the Great Hall.
Sarah decided not to give Albus any warning at all when she entered Hogwarts. As soon as she had left Brian and Magen, she had made a series of hops and double-backs, making sure she wasn't followed. The energy she had used during the fight had drained her more than she cared to admit. Sustaining a lucky blow to the nose, which still trickled a bit of blood, and a broken arm, she felt incensed. Her bottom lip was also tender from where Lucius Malfoy had gotten another lucky strike in, and her teeth had broken the skin. Once she was sure she wasn't followed, she broke all hell for Hogwarts, determined to set Albus back into his place. Just who the hell does he think he is, she thought heatedly. Her eyes burned orange in her seething annoyance. So, despite the time and day, she channeled her feelings and energy, and exploded into the Great Hall of Hogwarts. As the fireball around her dissipated, she felt her whole body stiffen and tense with the shock of the sudden loss of un-prepared for energy loss. But the stunned and disgruntled look on Dumbledore's face gave her grim satisfaction... it did NOT, however, lessen her mood one bit. She glared at him through her dark sunglasses. And... oh shit, Sirius and Remus are here too. Fuck, I wish that these things didn't always fall to me... well, at least I sensed them before I finished portalling here! Dammit, Albus, you got me exiled for exactly what you're doing now...
"ALBUS DUMBLEDORE!" she yelled, letting lose a fan of flames behind her.
Snape stopped his fork mid-air. He was shocked at first by the sudden and dramatic appearance of the woman who was virtually screaming at the top of her lungs at the Headmaster. He glanced from her to Albus, taking in the obvious mutual dislike they had for each other. The woman was OBVIOUSLY pissed about something, and Dumbledore wasn't too happy about seeing this woman at all. Who the hell is she, he thought, and how the bloody hell did she get in here? The wards should have kept her OUT! I'll be talking to LUPIN and BLACK about this! He watched in fascination as the imposing redhead marched quickly and fiercely up to the head table, flames fanning out behind her like a brilliant fiery peacock's tail. He noted with detachment that her eyes were flickering orange and red. He could FEEL her supreme anger.
"What do you want, Hawkins?" Dumbledore's voice could have icicles forming above his head any minute.
"Oh, take your self-righteous bull-shit and shove it up your ass, Dumbledore!" she snapped heatedly. She ignored the pain in her arm and head. Sparks landed on the stone floor, smoldering as they were snuffed out into ash.
"Um... Sa-" Lupin started, drawing Snape's attention to the startling discovery that he seemed to be the only staff member present who didn't know this woman! Why hasn't anyone asked why her nose is bleeding and her arm is so obviously broken? He was distracted and vaguely amused when she snapped again.
"Quiet, Lupin!" Sarah snapped, her body feeling the flickering of flames like hot butterflies on her skin.
"I'll say it again, Hawkins," Dumbledore stated, his voice disapproving and cold, "What do you want?" Sarah speared him with a glare to melt rock, taking off her sunglasses to expose her orange-and-red eyes. A large bruise was spreading across her left eye.
"What the HELL were you THINKING!" she raged, swiping her hands over the table, sending plates of food flying into the air, "Harry did NOT belong there!"
"HARRY IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" Dumbledore roared, pounding his fists on the table, shocking Severus greatly. Lupin and Black met Snape's gaze, and flicked back to Dumbledore's face, turning red in anger. Sarah's face remained a frozen wasteland of paleness.
"Albus, you sentimental old codger, are you fucking insane! You're so fucking blind, Albus," she said in a dead voice. The room fell silent. Apparently nobody's had the guts to swear at the old guy before, she thought with removed amusement. She leaned menacingly over the table, narrowing her eyes to solid red slits. Ignore the stupid pain in your left eye; ignore it and deal with it later; ignore the pain....
"I told you to send him to live with me! Lilly and James asked you to send him to me! Why, Albus... Why didn't you? Couldn't you have swallowed your Goddamn precious pride for once! Do you know what they did to him, Albus?" she hissed.
When he didn't respond, she felt her whole body grow rock-solid. She could sense everyone's eyes on her. The flames flickered down to small red lines of energy, zipped across the planes of her body. She was too used up for anything more spectacular, though she would never admit to it. There is no pain; only a body accepting when it's been injured, she repeated the mantra subconsciously in her head. Her anger, directed at Albus, shut out any recognition of bodily discomfort.
"They beat him, Albus," she whispered in a voice to freeze flames in hell, "They put him in a bloody coma." She drank in his shock and disbelief, knowing that this was not the way for the others to find out, but yet knowing that she had no choice. There was no time left. I need to get the hell out of here and back to Harry!
"I don't believe you."
Sarah was taken aback by Albus's denial. She shook her head, her eyes clearing to orange irises. After all this time, after all she had done, he was still going to hate her. He simply could not forgive her for being who she was. Not my problem, she decided. She knew that the others were asking her questions; that Black was almost yelling at her for answers, and Lupin was trying to restrain him.
"Harry is at Gatewood House," she said to Sirius Black, whom her old friend Remus had been restraining. They looked at each other for a long moment, years of separation tumbling away from them, their contact of friendship remaining intact. Shit, Nadia's gonna flip when she sees him. She looked at Remus, her eyes finally turning brown, willing him to understand. I need you, old friend. There is much to be done; it is time for you to come home. It is time for a lot of things. Damn.
"I'll let Nadia know to make space," she said enigmatically to Sirius, before turning on her heel and walking towards the Great Hall's doors. As she put her sunglasses back on, a flicker of black movement caught her eye; she met the eyes of a dark man. His black eyes sent shivers through her, as though he could see right to her soul. She hated that. Finishing the movement to restore her sunglasses to her face, wincing inwardly as she bumped her tender nose, she vanished in a huge ball of fire. There was a BOOM that shook the Great Hall, and the fire ball shrank in on itself, and was gone.
Severus felt the blood rush in his veins when the fiery redhead made eye contact with him. Her brown eyes bore into his head, making it thrum and throb with the weight of it. Just as quickly, she looked away, and the moment went unnoticed by the others. Who are you? He screamed mentally after her, absently noting that he had put his fork down a long time ago. They beat him? Those filthy Muggles beat the Boy-Who-Lived? Dear Gods, this is what Black and those Weasleys were afraid of... how many times did he warn Albus that we should do something? I've lost track...
"Severus," McGonagall was addressing him, apparently not for the first time.
"What?" he said intelligently, for once not receiving a retort from Black.
"We are planning what to do about this horrible turn of events," she said waspishly. Severus felt something in the pit of his stomach turn.
"We leave and go to the Dursley house ourselves," he said matter-of-factly, "See for ourselves what really happened."
"Very good, Severus," Dumbledore said, awkwardly getting up from his chair, trying to avoid the mess that had been left behind.
"Who was that, Albus?" he asked, rising as well. Dumbledore stopped.
"Sarah Hawkins, old friend," he said stiffly, as if there were a bad taste in his mouth and he was too polite to say anything, "An exile of the Magical Community. She is neither witch, nor wizard, and has no loyalties..."
"That's a crock of shit, Albus, and you know it!"
The entire teaching staff of Hogwarts turned to stare incredulously at Sirius Black, who was seething in fury. Remus Lupin was beside him, hands tightly clenched and anger visibly beginning to get out of check.
"Sirius Black," Dumbledore began, but Sirius interrupted again.
"She is loyal to Harry! She is loyal to her family! She is loyal to her friends! Loyal to OUR CAUSE!"
"ENOUGH! Both of you!" McGonagall snapped sternly, "We must get to the Dursley house immediately! There's no telling who's right in this! Harry's life may be at stake!"
AUTHOR'S NOTE: And I think I'll just leave it at that for now. So.... what do you ppl want to see happen? Any guesses as to why Dumbledore hates Sarah so much? What did she mean by saying that he had gotten her exiled for doing exactly what he was doing now? C'mon, people.... REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!!! PLEASE!