Updated: Monday 13th June 2005
Disclaimer: Still not mine…
Chapter Eighty Eight: Flying High
"Let me get this straight, you've had this planned all along?" Sirius' mouth fell open in surprise as his unassuming brother-in-law nodded.
"I had a feeling you wouldn't be able to resist giving Estella a broomstick." Severus said by way of explanation. "And in the very least a child should be permitted to go outside."
"Uncle Sev…" Estella chewed on her bottom lip in contemplation. "What will you do? You can hardly be in two places at once… and where would we go? What if we're found…"
"Estella, don't worry about that today." Remus shook his head at her. "I am sure your father and Uncle will agree with me in saying that you mustn't let him ruin your day."
"Quite right." Sirius nodded, followed shortly by Severus.
"I will regretfully have to take my leave to make an appearance at the School this afternoon." Severus answered his niece. "As for where you would best be suited to get some privacy in the great outdoors… Black, it is my understanding that your family's estate on the west coast is sufficiently warded and isolated for this purpose?"
"There's not a neighbour for miles, and its wards are ancient." Sirius confirmed, a wide smile creeping across his features. "It's perfect. We should be fine for an hour or so."
"But Dad, the ministry…" Estella frowned.
"Are understaffed on Christmas Day." Remus threw in. "Besides, they are looking for your father, not for your Uncle."
"Huh?" Estella shook her head, confused until she remembered the goblet of Polyjuice in her Uncle's hand. "Oh, yeah."
"So how about it, kiddo?" Sirius smiled, wrapping his arms around Estella's shoulders from behind. "Fancy a flying lesson?"
Broomsticks shrunken and securely fastened within their robes, the trio rugged up in their winter cloaks and gloves and apparated to the remote Black estate, Estella firmly transported in her Godfather's grip.
"That was really cool of Uncle Sev to bring that potion." Estella marvelled for yet another time since her Uncle's departure for Hogwarts.
"He's a surprising man, your Uncle." Sirius replied, his borrowed face bearing an uncharacteristically bewildered look of surprise as he struggled to adjust to his polyjuiced form. Hearing his words come out in his brother-in-law's voice was taking some getting used to. "Remus, stop laughing."
"Hey, least you know what it was like for me last Summer now." The mirth-filled werewolf reminded his friend.
Sirius – as Severus – didn't say anything, choosing instead to stride ahead, the movement causing, to his horror, his robes to billow.
"Oh crap!" Sirius scowled at himself. "Now I know I am going insane."
Beside him, Estella sniggered slightly, her small hand finding its way into his thin, unfamiliar grip.
"Well, here's a good a place as any." Sirius said finally, after they had walked for some time. "The wards all appear to be in order."
"How do you know that?" Estella asked, confused. Her father hadn't so much as taken his wand out.
"The wards recognise me as their master." Sirius explained. "Just as they acknowledge you as their heir."
"How can you tell what's what?" Estella asked, closing her eyes as she tried to tap into whatever her father was able to sense. "I don't feel a thing."
"It's hard to explain." Sirius shook his head, dismissing his thoughts. "One day you will understand it."
Understanding the implication of what he had said, Estellla squeezed her hand in his a little more tightly and looked at him fiercely. "That better not be for an awful long time."
"I'm counting on it." Sirius squeezed her hand back comfortingly. "All right, are you ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be." Estella took a deep breath and retrieved her new broomstick from her robes, holding it out to her Godfather to enlarge. With Sirius in a polyjuiced form, it was considered too risky to have him attempt to use his magic unless it could not be avoided. One could not be too cautious.
Standing in a row, Estella in the middle with her new Firebolt with father and Godfather flanking her on either side, the trio prepared to mount their brooms. Remus himself had a old but reliable Comet, and Sirius was using the old prototype Cleansweep broom that Estella's 'sponsors' had bestowed upon her while she was in the past. Her eye lingering on said broom for a moment, Estella was suddenly reminded of the knowledge the Ollertons had trusted her with all those years ago. Were they even still alive? She was just about to ask that question when the broom she had summoned into mounting position smacked into her open, outstretched palm. Curling her fingers around the shaft instinctively, Estella was taken aback when her mind began to mentally dissect and make note of every charm that had been placed upon the broom, equipping it to fly.
"Estella, are you alright?" Her uncle… no, father's… voice startled her back to conscious thought as her mind struggled to make sense of this new information. She hadn't felt this when she'd last flown in the past, on the Cleansweep. Had something happened to the Ollerton family, activating her obligation? As much as she tried to remember, she couldn't recall what Dumbledore had said about the implications of her role.
"Estella?" Remus' voice joined the fray, both men looking at her with concern.
"Sweetheart, don't feel like you have to do this." Sirius looked at her carefully. "We can go home if you like."
"No… it's not that." Estella shook her head, a far away look on her face as she gripped her broom tightly. Coming back to her senses she looked from her broom to her father's and back again, an idea forming in her mind. Smiling widely at her father, she set her mind in action. "Say, do you think the wards would mask a few spells from an under aged witch?"
"I don't know. Depends on the kind of magic accessed." Sirius frowned. "What spell do you want to cast?"
"I can't tell you." Estella said, a superior look on her face. "You're not in the Ollerton circle of trust."
"What?" Sirius recognised the reference, but did not understand the implications. Remus, on the other hand, perked up as though someone had just cast a lumos in his headspace.
"They… they didn't!" Remus gaped. Estella nodded slightly. "They did."
"Who did what?" Sirius stared between his daughter and friend, becoming increasingly put out at the feeling of being out of the loop.
"How would you like to fly on a Firebolt?" Estella grinned at her father's bewildered look.
"Oh no, sweetheart, you take the first turn." Sirius said, oblivious to the implications of her statement.
"Estella…" Remus cautioned. "You're under age."
"Trust me on this." Estella said, taking her father's broom from his numb, pliable hands and extracting her wand. "I have a feeling this particular magic is more than of age."
It made sense to think so anyway… she didn't feel any similar sort of symbiosis with brooms in the past because both she and the magic she had been entrusted with was not of legal age. Assuming that the age of the oath she swore dated from the day it was cast and not on her physiological age, then that magic was little over twenty years old… thus explaining why now she could practically see the charms floating around the broom she was holding.
Closing her eyes and crossing her toes, hoping to the powers that be that she was not making a big mistake and endangering her academic future, Estella followed her gut instinct and cast a series of spells under her breath; ignoring the warnings and protests from her two guardians.
"Relax." She said, handing her slack-jawed father back his modified broom. "I'm just sorry I took twenty years to comply with your request. Now you can practice your Quidditch with a superior broom."
Sirius' eyes flew open, his mind finally registering what his daughter had just done to his broom.
"You… how?" Sirius spluttered, his mind doing back flips in confusion while the rest of him was simply itching to get up in the air.
Remus, meanwhile, exchanged a meaningful look with his goddaughter and handed him his broom willingly, his astute mind drawing the same conclusion that she had.
"For your sake, Estella, I hope you're right on this." He said, watching her work.
"Don't ask me how I know, but I just do." Estella shrugged, handing his broom back. "There you go, now we're all on equal steads."
No sooner had they gotten a few feet up in the air, however, did Sirius and Estella shudder and exchange a look of mortification.
"Someone's here." Estella and Sirius both gasped.
"Who, the ministry?" Remus frowned. "If that magic did register as under age, surely they would only have sent an Owl."
"It's not the Ministry." Estella said distantly, gesturing to her pendant.
"It's someone powerful." Sirius grimaced, his face wrought with worry as he flew closer to his daughter. In response to her unasked question, he nodded towards the south of the property, on the other side of the hill. "The wards alerted me."
"Let's land and apparate out of here." Remus said, already nudging the nose of his broom to point downward.
"No. That can be traced." Sirius said, cursing vehemently. "The wards would likely splinch us."
"It's no one friendly." Estella said suddenly, paling as her ring and pendant started glowing even brighter.
"How on earth did they find us?" Sirius swore after seeing his daughter's pendant. He'd not seen it look like that since… well, since that day.
"We can figure that out later! We need to leave." Estella said, frowning at how both men brandished their wands. "No. Dad, no one can see you like this! Especially not them! They'll know Uncle Sev is against them!"
"But are you going to be all right flying?" Sirius looked at her worriedly at where she hovered languidly. "I need to keep reminding myself that you're still recovering… and it'll be dark soon."
"I'll be happier flying than fighting!" Estella pointed out objectively.
"Right then, a Portkey to Hogwarts?" Remus suggested urgently.
Estella shook her head. "Only present teachers of the school can activate emergency Portkeys to Hogwarts without prior notice." She laughed nervously at the bittersweet irony. Had her Uncle not been so rash as to perpetuate her Godfather's resignation, her Godfather would have been able to make a Portkey… yet here they were, on her Uncle's suggestion, with out assured means of escape. It was all so twisted. Glancing at her two consorts, Estella could see that the mirthless humour had not been lost on them either.
"We have to fly." Estella said resolutely. "In the unlikely event they all brought their brooms and they were all Firebolts, we can still get a jump on them."
"Estella's right," Remus said, flying closer to Estella so that he flanked her protectively on one side. "Let's get this show on the road."
As though snapping out of a trance, Sirius sprung into action. "We'll have to fly to Hogwarts. London is too far. They won't follow us to Hogwarts." He said analytically, moving so close to Estella that their knees brushed. "It will be alright Estella. You set the pace, alright? Don't over exert yourself… no matter what we'll get there."
"What happens if they guess where we're going and apparate to Hogsmeade before we…" Estella laid her fears out on the table as they began to fly into the cover of the low lying fog that shrouded the moors on the northern edge of the property furthest from the intruders seeking entry from the southern side. "And Dad, you can't be seen! Even as Uncle Sev! He's at the school too! What will you do?"
"Estella, calm down." Remus shifted the wand in his hand so that he could pat Estella's knee comfortingly. "Just concentrate on your broom for now, we'll deal with that when we get there, alright?"
As the fog grew thicker, Estella began to panic. "I can't see where I am going! I'm going to lose you!" She cried out, her body unwittingly urging her broom to slow down, causing her two escorts to overshoot their imposed boundaries and disappear into the thick atmosphere. Justifiably terrified, the disorientated, inexperienced flier screamed.
"Shhhh… it's alright." Two voices, two hands, suddenly came back into focus for the distraught child as she found herself flanked by the comforting warmth of a guardian on either side.
"Remus?" Sirius' voice called out to his friend. Though visibility was enough so that each man could see the girl between them, from the fugitive's perspective his mild mannered friend was but a distorted shadow at his daughter's side.
The clever werewolf seemingly reading his loyal friend's mind, Sirius sighed in relief when he could feel the assuring tug of his broomstick being magically anchored to his daughter's and the whispery thin loop of magical force wrapping itself around his waist, anchoring their bodies together too.
"Did you feel that, Estella?" Sirius could hear his friend explain to the sobbing child. "I just anchored our brooms and bodies to each other. There's no way we will lose each other or fall now, alright?"
"H-h-how do we know where we are going?" Estella stammered, her teeth chattering as a particularly icy cross wind blew in their faces.
"Directional spell." Sirius patted her knee. "Why don't you close your eyes, hold on tight, and let us get you there, mmm?"
"Then you would be towing me." Estella replied and Sirius could barely make out the frown on her face. "I'll slow us down."
"Estella, you're getting tired, I can tell." Remus said, his voice laced with worry. "You're still recovering… and this cold and your emotional state can't be helping things… Merlin we'd not planned for long-range flying."
"Dad, it's time to take another sip of your potion." Estella reminded her father, seemingly ignoring her Godfather's concerned observations.
To appease his daughter and give her one less thing to worry about, Sirius took a voluntary dose of the vile liquid and ensured his disguise for another hour.
For the next forty-five minutes the trio flew on in silence, each of them becoming increasingly too cold and weary to fuel a conversation; and each of them increasingly concerned about what was waiting for them at their destination. What if the Death Eaters – and they had to be Death Eaters – anticipated their escape route and cut them off en route?
After they passed through the moors and exited the fog, they had no choice but to fly into the clouds overhead so as to remain out of sight of both pursuing eyes and Muggles. All the while Estella was pushing herself to her limits and beyond, the weary child insistent upon keeping her broom at an optimal speed and not slowing them down. Her energy was rapidly draining however, her family growing increasingly concerned when the shivering child's posture began to slump and sway with fatigue.
"Almost there." Sirius assured her, his eyes staring over at Remus as they grappled with the unspoken decision to guide the near-unconscious child to land take the chance of apparating to Hogsmeade.
"The Shrieking Shack." Sirius said softly, as he caught his daughter reflexively as her feet hit the ground and her legs crumbled from under the weight.
Remus nodded and cancelled the charms anchoring them together.
"Give me Estella." He gestured for the near-incoherent child leaning heavily against her father. "Apparating in a borrowed form is difficult enough without a passenger."
Sirius paused, his hairs standing on end as he entertained the notion of his daughter alone in the shrieking shack with his werewolf friend.
Reading his mind, Remus sighed sadly. "It's not a full moon for another week and a half, Sirius." Remus said. "Please, Padfoot. Trust me?"
Sirius shook the haunting memories from his mind and nodded, guiding Estella into Remus' firm embrace. "Don't wait for me. Use the tunnel. Padfoot will follow."
Estella made a small noise of protest but was too tired to let her sentiment be known. Instead, she grasped blindly for her father, grabbing the edge of his sleeve and holding on for dear life.
"It's alright, sweetheart." Sirius assured her, raising her hand to his lips, which he then brushed over her palm in a kiss. "You go with Moony. I will be right behind you, I promise."
Remus looked at Sirius sharply as though to warn him against making promises he may not be able to keep. In his attempts to evade capture – from either the Ministry or otherwise, he may have to implement a contingency plan. Whether from fatigue or accepting trust, the men didn't know, but Estella's grip on her father relented, enabling Remus to apparate the child to familiar territory.
In a blink, Sirius followed.
Thirty minutes later found the trio safely in the confines of the offices of Albus Dumbledore.
"I am afraid that Malfoy is now aware where you have been, child." Albus informed the weary Ravenclaw and her entourage gravely.
"No shit Sherlock." Estella mumbled under her breath, not realising she had said it aloud.
"Estella!" Three voices addressed her sternly as Father, Godfather and Uncle admonished her language, the latter having being withdrawn from his duty as chaperone at the Yule Ball to attend.
"Sorry." Estella sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I would have just thought that much was obvious." She said.
"Though we would like to know how." Sirius rubbed his forehead agitatedly, his whole demeanour still on edge.
"You say you modified a broom, child?" Albus asked the youngest member of the room inquiringly. Estella nodded. "I can only guess then, that Lucius Malfoy used his contacts at the Ministry to be alerted when Aries Ollerton's magical signature was identified."
"But Aries Ollerton is a squib." Estella frowned.
"He means your magical signature." Sirius corrected her lightly. "The one that was registered twenty years ago when you enrolled in Hogwarts, am I right, Headmaster?"
"But wouldn't Estella's signature be one and the same with what she had in the past?" Remus knotted his brows.
"Yes and yes." Albus said, pausing for a moment to try and determine the best way to explain. "I daresay if you cast a regular spell it would still alert the Ministry to the use of under aged magic… but the magic you called upon to alter those brooms was specifically tied to the magical signature registered in the past." He paused again. "After Mr Malfoy was alerted to the fact that you were the Aries Ollerton at Hogwarts, I have no doubt he has had a advantageous idea of what to watch for."
Estella lowered her head shamefully, her cheeks burning. "I'm sorry." She said, looking up regretfully and meeting the concerned eyes of her three family members. "It's my fault… I should never have done the spell…"
"No, not it's not your fault." Sirius and Remus assured her vehemently.
"I didn't anticipate there would be any harm in doing it." Remus admitted, placing his hand over his chest in emphasis. "I'm older than you I should have been the one with better judgement."
"And I should have started you on a slower broom that our brooms would keep pace with." Sirius added softly.
"I'm the one who underestimated the risks and suggested the idea in the first place." Severus threw in, disappointed at himself. "What's done is done. We can only look forward now."
Three other heads nodded slowly.
"What do we do now, Albus?" Remus asked quietly. "Now they know."
"Well there will be no harm in Estella reuniting with her classmates before term begins again. Most of the school remained over the holidays for the Yule Ball this year, child." Albus replied.
A sad look crossed over Estella's face. When she had been in the past Hogwarts had been within days of a Yule Ball too; and now she was in her own time and while things at Hogwarts didn't seem to have changed, everything was so different. No one who she had been to school with last were students anymore. Not all of them were even alive.
"I'd like to go back home." Estella said looking at her father, Uncle and Godfather pleadingly. "I don't know if I can… if I can…"
"It's alright, Estella, you don't have to try to explain." Sirius consoled her, putting his arm around her shoulder as he tried to fathom how difficult it would be for his daughter to return to classes without the people she had become accustomed to seeing everyday. "Merlin, you're ice cold!"
Estella wrapped her arms around herself and shivered in response. "No, I'm alright."
Remus and Severus looked at her sharply, while Sirius was already hauling his daughter to her feet.
"Infirmary. Now." One of the men insisted.
"No." Estella protested. Madame Pomfrey would go off her nut if she found out she'd been out gallivanting around the countryside on a broomstick. She'd never be allowed to leave the infirmary again! "Please, it's Christmas. I just want to go home and sleep in my own bed." Then, looking at her Uncle for sympathy – for she knew the man shared her dislike for infirmaries – she added; "There's no potion there that I can't get at home. I promise I will rest!"
"Headmaster, will it be safe for her at the house?" Sirius turned to the headmaster, his hand resting comfortingly at the nape of his daughter's neck.
"Sirius, she should be in the infirmary." Remus pressed. "Look what happened when she last got released prematurely…"
"Oh, I daresay her convalescence can be secured in a domestic setting." Severus said, leaping to Estella's defence. "The potions supply at the house is extremely well stocked."
"See, told you there was a point to keeping a house stocked…" Estella mumbled sleepily as she leant into her father's side.
"Albus?" Sirius looked to the trusted headmaster for approval.
His twinkling blue eyes silently watching the unique family unit operate, Albus Dumbledore smiled at the protective father before him. "I see no reason why Estella cannot be as safe at your family's home in London as what young Harry is well protected at his family's home in Surrey." He said, noting inwardly that both children's mothers had, to some varying degree, died so that their child could live; and that kind of sacrifice was a powerful thing. "Estella, I look forward to seeing you in the new year. I hope you had a Merry Christmas"
"Thank you, Headmaster." Estella smiled weakly, glad to be going back home for the rest of the holidays. "Merry Christmas to you too."
The older men exchanged their festive greetings and farewells before Flooing back to London.
Once back in the cosy warmth of their rather festive-looking living room, father and daughter collapsed on the couch in a heap while Remus went into the kitchen to make some hot chocolate for them all and Severus went downstairs to fetch a series of potions for his niece.
"You don't seem to have much luck with brooms, do you?" Sirius asked his daughter suddenly. "I'm sorry your lesson was so eventful."
"Oh it wasn't all bad." Estella replied, a wistful look in her eye. "I wasn't afraid of falling… the fog was so thick I just told myself I was really close to land."
"Seeing ahead was another matter, though." Remus said, shivering at the thought of having only a wand to guide them as he walked back into the room having left the kettle to boil.
"Yes, but I trusted that you both knew where you were going." Estella said simply. "Next time it will be better."
"Next time?" Sirius looked at his daughter hopefully.
"Yeah, next time." Estella yawned, resting her head on her father's shoulder. "Maybe we can bring Harry along and you guys can teach me how to play Quidditch."
"What about your vertigo?" Remus looked at her questioningly.
"Well if I wasn't going to fall off flying how we did today, I think it will be spectacularly difficult to fall off otherwise."
"Yes, but Quidditch has bludgers and bad boys with beaters…"
"Oh… oh yeah." Estella said apologetically reneging on her idea to try the dangerous sport.
"That's alright, sport, I'm just happy to see you're able to fly if you need to." Sirius squeezed his daughter reassuringly just as Severus entered the room, a series of vials in his hands. "Right, bedtime Missy." Her father added.
"Do I have to?" Estella asked automatically, getting her answer by means of three sets of eyes glaring at her determinedly. "Oh all right."
"I'll bring you up a hot chocolate." Remus promised her before darting back into the kitchen to see to the kettle.
"Do I have to drink all of those potions?" Estella asked wearily as she rose to her feet. "I hardly think the Calming Draught and the Dreamless Sleep are necessary."
"Just go upstairs and get ready for bed." Severus chastised her lightly. "I know what I am doing."
Ten minutes later, three sets of weary feet followed the path the belligerent child had stomped up ten minutes previously, coming to a stop behind her closed door. Knocking firmly, they were alarmed to hear no response.
"Do you think she's already asleep?" Sirius frowned, reaching for the door knob.
"Sirius, wait." Remus said, juggling the mug of hot chocolate in his hand so he could pull out his wand. "Silencing charms on her door, remember? Finite."
The three men started as the sudden burst of blaring music assaulted their senses.
"She said she would take it easy!" Sirius growled, twisting the door knob and leading the way. "Estella!"
Estella was sitting at the end of her bed running a brush through her hair, her bare feet tapping to the beat of the music while her chin nodded slightly. Just as they walked in, Estella had her brush in mid-stroke, the handle temporarily finding itself as a makeshift microphone as the resilient child lip-synched the song's hook.
"I've been looking for this CD!" Remus admonished, moving over to the shelf to turn the music down.
"I thought you were supposed to be taking it easy." Sirius shook his head at his daughter. "You're going to end up in St Mungos if you're not careful."
"What on earth were you listening to?" Severus asked, setting the vials of potion down on her bedside table, his face a mask of revulsion before he waved his wand jerkily at his niece's feet, covering them in thick woollen socks.
"Pearl Jam." Both Estella and Remus answered.
"What's that?" Sirius asked, taking the brush from his daughter and turning down her bed. "Sounds to me like some Muggle breakfast spread."
Estella laughed. "You are sooo sad." She shook her head in mock-disgust. "Try, "What is Muggle band" for £50."
"Music off." Sirius threw Remus a look to where he was standing by the stereo pouring over the liner notes of his recovered CD. Then, looking at Estella he kissed the top of her head. "And you, bed."
"Can't I listen to some music while I am in bed?" Estella whined, snuggling under the covers.
"No." Three voices answered in synchronisation.
"Oh so not fun." Estella pouted. "Moony you just want the CD back so you can drive them nuts with it downstairs all night, don't you?"
Remus grinned wolfishly at her, looking altogether like a cat who had just the mouse. Severus looked at Remus warily and prepared himself for an evening of potion brewing in the house's blissfully closed off lab.
"Oh I don't know about that." Sirius chuckled. "From what I heard of it, sounds like my kind of music."
"Really?" Estella's eyes widened.
"Over half of those old records Remus tells me you keep flogging are mine, you know." Sirius reminded his daughter.
"Oh yeah." Estella said. "Well feel free to borrow any of my CDs whenever. You have a bit of catching up to do."
Standing behind his brother-in-law, who was sitting on the edge of Estella's bed, Severus cleared his throat. "Drink these." He said, handing her a vial one at a time, watching her carefully as she ingested each prescribed dosage.
"Thanks Uncle Sev." Estella yawned, settling back down on her pillows. "Goodnight everyone."
Remus bade his goodnight from where he stood by her desk sipping on her abandoned hot chocolate while Severus wished the child well from where he was clearing away the empty potions vials on the side of her bed. Sirius, meanwhile, did the job of tucking her in and kissing her goodnight.
"Sweet dreams." He said, rising to stand by her bed and activate her night light.
"No sweet dreams…" the already half asleep child murmured as the potions in her system began to pull her under. "Had dreamless sleep potion… silly Dad…"
The next morning Estella awoke feeling suitably refreshed after a long sleep. Pulling her arm back onto the bed from where it had spent most of the night dangling off the edge of the mattress, Estella rubbed it with her other hand to try and get some warmth back into it only to find her hand was lathered in slobber.
"Oh, gross." Estella screwed up her face in disgust, her eyes seeking out her father's animagus form. "Were you trying to make me wet the bed or something, you silly dog!"
Everyone knew if you wanted someone to lose bladder control in their sleep you put their hand in a bucket of warm water.
Sirius – as Padfoot – appeared from under her bed and barked at her urgently, taking the edge of her blanket in his mouth and pulling it from the child who had settled back down on her mattress.
"Alright, alright, I'm up!" Estella growled, reaching for her bathrobe and slippers to feign off the sudden exposure.
Once she was out of bed, Sirius grabbed the hem of her robe and pulled her towards the bathroom, nudging her in there.
Five minutes later Estella emerged, her faced washed, hair brushed and teeth clean. Still, Padfoot sniffed at her disdainfully and nudged her back into the bathroom.
"What?" Estella scorned, defensively. "Are you saying I smell? That's rich." The dog barked sharply and nudged her a little more urgently. "Alright, I'll have a shower. Anything to get rid of the dog cooties! You're so going to get it later…"
Another ten minutes later, Estella emerged from the bathroom in a cloud of steam all dressed for the day and with a sly smile on her face. Looking around for her father's animagus form, her grin widened as she snuck up on his sleeping form where he lay curled up on her bed. In one quick moment she threw the dripping wet bath towel – the one she had intentionally soaked in cold water – over the unsuspecting animagus.
Yelping in surprise, Padfoot writhed on the bed in shock, trying to shake the heavy wet towel off his back. Barking at his daughter indignantly, the duped dog rued the child's sense of timing. Somehow she just knew he wouldn't be able to reciprocate her prank while she was all ready for the day.
"Alright, Dad, what's up." Estella said, eyeing the dog carefully when it didn't make any move to pounce on her and soak her through in retribution. "You can transform now."
Sirius barked and gestured towards the door.
"Someone's here, aren't they?" Estella nodded knowingly, smirking when the dog nodded.
"Merlin," she sniggered, her stomach rumbling heartily in her mirth. "I think I am going to rename you, Lassie."
Padfoot barked in protest and squished his shaggy, wet paws over to the door.
Making her way downstairs, Estella entered the living room where her Godfather was in the company of an older, unidentifiable man. Her uncle was nowhere to be seen.
"Good Morning, I'm sorry I took so long." Estella explained by way of greeting. "Lassie here isn't that effective at communicating. Uncle Remus I told you we should have gotten that Collie."
Recognising the inference, Remus choked on his tea, coughing and spluttering ungraciously as he tried to compose himself.
"Estella," Remus managed finally after casting a drying spell at the droopy looking dog. "I would like for you to meet Benson Ollerton."
If Estella had been holding anything at that moment, she would have dropped it.
"Oh." Estella said, holding out her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you at last, sir."
The unexpected meeting with the head of her 'sponsor' family from her time in the past proceeded to pass without a hitch. Benson too had been aware of the moment when Estella had called upon his family's magic to modify a broom and had sought Dumbledore out immediately, keen to meet the person he had entrusted with his family's secrets at last. After he had been briefed on the true nature of Estella's passage in the past and her rightful place here in the present time, the simple man had, naturally, been a little surprised; but he took it all in his stride.
Originally, as Benson took great detail in explaining to Estella and her guardian, when Dumbledore had approached him for help, he had only been told that there was a child whose identity needed concealing. Trusting the Headmaster's judgement implicitly, Benson went on to explain about the purpose of her role and commended her on her spell casting abilities.
"When you were made a conduit," He explained. "No one expected that you would actually be able to modify a broom."
"Oh?" Estella's ears pricked up, interested.
"You are a caretaker." Benson said. "Your role was to keep the knowledge alive and pass it on to an appropriate person. It's a unprecedented feat that you were actually able to call upon it for your own uses."
"Oh, I apologise." Estella frowned. "Was I not supposed to?"
"I am not displeased with you, child." Benson assured her. "Quite to the contrary, actually. It is highly advantageous. Tell me what happened. How you did it. Everything."
"Oh? I can't explain how… wasn't it because of the information I sworn to keep safe?" Estella knotted her brow in confusion.
"Quite possibly, Estella." Benson smiled at her warmly. "The situation is quite unique. The rite we enacted was ancient, even then, and had not been used for such business before."
"So it was an accident, then, that I was able to…" Estella said, feigning disinterest in her fugitive father as said animagus padded into the room – suitably dry thanks to Remus' spell – and rested his head in her lap protectively.
"A very fortunate one." Benson smiled. "You see, Estella, the Firebolt is not a Cleansweep broom. That you were able to recreate the broom is a lucky and unexpected happenstance."
"Is that why you're here?" Estella asked suspiciously, her lips curling into a wry grin. "You'd like to know what spells I used."
"Well I did first and foremost wish to meet you." Benson said honestly. "I didn't know the significance of what you did until I got here… though the Company would be indebted to you if you were to disclose details to us."
"Wouldn't that, I don't know, be like plagiarism or something? Sabotage?" Estella frowned, thinking of the evil Mr Slugworth from the Muggle storybook "Charlie and The Chocolate Factory".
"I assure you that all broom companies have entire departments of curse-breakers and charms specialists working around the clock researching other brooms and trying to extract information we can redevelop." Benson explained. "There are patents in place preventing us from releasing a specifically identical broom, though our Research and Development Department team would reward you handsomely for your contribution to their efforts. The machinations of the Firebolt continue to allude my staff."
"I really don't even remember what I did." Estella confided warily. "It was a spur of the moment thing… most likely a fluke."
"You don't have to do anything you don't want to, Estella." Remus patted her knee. "Does she, Mr Ollerton?"
"No, no, of course not." Benson said half-heartedly the imminent disappointment evident in his tone. "But think about it, please? You can name the broom we develop…"
Padfoot barked excitedly, nudging Estella's wand hand eagerly. Of all the times James and he would spend entire Hogsmeade visits cocooned in Quality Quidditch Supplies or sprawled in the Gryffindor Common Room pouring over Which Broomstick? dreaming about becoming famous Quidditch players and having brooms named after them! This opportunity was too good to be true.
"I'll need to think about it." Estella said. "See if I can note down what I did."
"Very well." Benson said shortly. "Though I must point out that my company gets first option. I wouldn't want you compromising your oath in any way."
Padfoot growled softly at the unassuming man's veiled threat while Estella and Remus settled for a sharp look.
"I do appreciate everything you did for me in the past." Estella thanked him politely. "I'm not interested in business. You would be the only one I'd even consider. I just need to get my head around the idea and consult with my guardians. This is all rather unexpected."
"I am sure you are aware of the delicate political climate that the Wizarding world is in the midst of at the moment." Remus reminded the man of the looming issues of war and destruction upon them, trying to give the man perspective. "You appear to be a captive audience for Albus."
"Yes, yes, I do apologise if I came across a little desperately." The man apologised. "I didn't expect to be making business propositions today either. It's just that ever since I became the last surviving Ollerton my company has lost its competitive edge… and well I am sure you can appreciate a man's desire to secure the survival of his father's life's work."
Estella patted her father's head absently and looked at the man sympathetically. In her eyes it wasn't a whole lot different than the situation she found herself in trying to covertly secure her father's freedom. "You say you are the last surviving member of your family? I am terribly sorry to hear that, sir. I had been looking forward to meeting your wife and daughter and thanking them personally one day."
"Yes, well…" The man hesitated, uncomfortable about talking about the emotional topic of his deceased family. Changing the subject, he smiled at the girl before him warmly. "Well, Remus, Estella… it was very nice meeting you…" Benson said awkwardly, rising to leave. "But I should probably get back to my day and let you get on with yours. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice."
Child and Godfather shook the old man's hands congenially and saw him off to the Floo. The poor man looked as though he was eager to get home so he could wallow in the loss of his family – and who could blame him, the holidays were notoriously depressing for grieving loved ones.
"Well that was certainly interesting." Sirius stretched lazily as he transformed the instant their visitor had left.
"Estella, are you all right?" Remus looked at his goddaughter carefully. "You look troubled."
"Dumbledore trusts him, right?" Estella asked warily.
"Yes." Remus said without hesitation. "Most of that family he spoke of died fighting in the first war. Albus would not have sent him on if he couldn't be trusted."
"Then how come Dad had to stay in his animagus form?" Estella challenged.
"Estella whether or not a person can be trusted is one thing." Sirius said, coming over and putting his arm around his child's shoulder. "It's whether or not they can bring themselves to trust our story. Do you understand?"
"Yeah, I guess so." Estella nodded, sighing. "I mean, you can't really go around telling just everyone that you were all illegal Animagi and have them believe it all." She paused. "Still, something about that man made me feel uncomfortable."
"His business is coming close to being bought out by his competitors… it's made him a little anxious." Remus explained. "You should have seen the hope in his eyes when I told him what you did to our brooms."
"Do you think I should do it? Dad… what do you think?" Estella asked.
"I think it would be a nice gesture to show your appreciation for your being able to assume his daughter's identity in the past." Sirius said insightfully, though the childish glint in his eye was barely contained. "And think of it, you will get to name your own model of broomstick! I don't want to push you, but I have a few suggestions…"
Remus snorted derisively. "That's an understatement!" He said, sharing a meaningful look at Estella, the younger child able to recall for herself how manic her father and James had been about brooms.
Thinking about her father and James, however, filled her heart with sadness once more. The thought of her father, free and fun-loving; and James, equally full of life and promise; and how neither boy truly existed anymore caused Estella's breath to hitch in her throat.
"Alright, I'll see what I can do." She sighed, her mind determined to do something in memory of the people time had taken away from them. "Ugh, Dad… you smell like wet dog!"
"Estella's right." Remus chuckled, pinching his nose. "Not good, Sirius."
Growling playfully, Sirius made a show of sniffing himself and looking disgusted with himself. "Not nearly as bad as how I smelt last year." He shrugged nonchalantly, referring to the 12-year-stench he had carried around with him from his time in Azkaban. Making his way upstairs to freshen up. "But a man does have his pride."
"I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be thankful for his sense of pride." Remus said to Estella, grinning slightly.
"I heard that!" An indignant voice cried out in protest from the upper landing. Coming down the stairs slightly, Sirius called after his daughter. "And who the heck is Lassie!"
End Chapter: Flying High