Chapter 7

Blah! Here's the next chapter! You get to find out more stuff about Leah. I know I'm skipping like a month or something but I just wanted to put this in soon.

"This is insane Wood! We can't bloody well see anything in this weather!" Leah yelled over the wind. The whole team was standing off to the side of the pitch while rain poured down on them and wind threatened to blow them over. Leah was starting to wish that she had listened to Molly and actually ate more then she did. She was light…light enough for Harry to actually lift her off her feet and twirl her around with no problem (which he has done a few times).

"Especially me." Harry said. "How am I supposed to catch the snitch if I can't even see it?" As if on cue Hermione came running over to them. She did a spell on Harry's glasses that made it so they would repel. Wood looked like he could kiss her and Leah laughed as Hermione ran back to her seat.

"Ok look…Harry…just get the snitch before Diggory does." Wood said. He would have said more but he caught the look Leah was giving him. "Ok…let's get back up there."

The game resumed and Leah, Angelina and Alicia had trouble keeping their attention locked on getting the quaffle. A few times they dropped it because they weren't paying attention to it. Lightning flashed, thunder crashed and Leah looked at Harry to see him nearly fall off his broom. Her gaze shot to the stands and saw the great shaggy dog…Sirius. She heard Alicia yell at her and dragged her eyes away from the dog to her team mate and caught the quaffle before throwing it through the goal.

There were screams and Leah felt even colder then she did before. She looked down and saw dementors on the ground. The first thought that came to her mind was to fly to the ground before she fell off her broom or something. So she quickly went to the ground. She saw a falling figure, then it slowed down, then there was a bright silver light and that was it.

"Dumbledore was mad."

"Of course he was mad…the dementors aren't supposed to come into the castle or the pitch."

"God can't you people like not talk?" Leah asked, opening her eyes and very slowly sitting up. She looked at Ron and Hermione. "Dude…did you guys go swimming or something?"

"No." Ron said. "Have you seen how you look? You look like a drowned rat."

"Thanks." Leah said sarcastically. She looked at the bed next to her. "Ok…he spends too much time in here." She slid off her bed and sat down on the one Harry was lying on. "We lost didn't we?"

"Yeah." Fred said. "We think Wood's trying to drown himself in the showers."

"Why doesn't he just stay outside?" Leah asked. No one answered. Leah looked at Ron and Hermione then at the rest of the team. "I'm gonna shower…if he wakes up…well…I don't know…if he's wondering…just tell him."

"Ok." George said.

"See you guys later." Leah said. She walked out into the empty halls of the school, taking off her shoes and was glad to find her socks pretty clean. She didn't leave as bad a trail as she could have that way.

The next day she went to the hospital wing and frowned when she saw Harry looking upset at some sticks.

"Hey Harry." Leah said. Harry just nodded. "What's wrong?"

"This was my broom." Harry said. Leah's jaw dropped and she went closer. Sure enough…that was the Nimbus 2000. There was a silence between them after Harry explained that the broom hit the willow. "What happened to your broom?"

"Uh…" Leah said. What did happen to her broom? She didn't remember reaching the ground on it and she was pretty sure she wasn't close to the ground before blacking out…where was a broom? "I really have no idea. I left here yesterday before they could tell me. Poor Wood though huh." Harry nodded.

"That's twice now." Harry said.

"What's twice?" Leah asked.

"Seeing the grim and almost dying." Harry said.

"Harry…that wasn't the grim." Leah said. "The grim is bigger then that dog."

"How do you know? Did you see it?" Harry asked.

"The dog in the stands…yeah…the grim…no." Leah said. "But my mom's uncle did and he described it to her in pretty good detail." Leah played with the bed sheet. "Harry I'm so sorry about your broom."

"I would say the same…cept not sure if it's true or not." Harry said. Leah smiled slightly. There was nothing more to be said and they both knew it…not on those topics anyways.

The second Hogsmeade weekend, Leah, Ron and Hermione went to Hogsmeade. The three of them wondered around before retreating into Honeydukes. They were trying to figure out what to bring Harry this time.

"What about these?" Ron asked, shaking a jar of cockroach clusters under Leah's nose. She pushed him away.

"Absolutely not." Harry said from behind them, making the three of them jump and spin around.

"How did you get here?" Hermione asked.

"Cool…you learned how to apparate." Ron said.

"Don't be an idiot Ron." Leah said.

"Of course I haven't." Harry said. He pulled them to the side and explained everything. Hermione, of course, protested but Ron and Leah found it cool.

"How come they didn't give it to me? I'm their brother." Ron said.

"Hey Leah…can I talk to you?" Harry asked.

"Sure." Leah said, wondering what about. She followed him to a corner of the shop. "What's up?"

"You said your mum knew Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs right." Harry said.

"Yeah." Leah said slowly.

"Their the ones that wrote the map." Harry said.

"I…don't know what to say." Leah said. Harry studied her for a moment before nodding and they headed back to Ron and Hermione. They all walked outside, talking about the different shops, until they agreed to head into the Hog's Head to warm up.

"Ron fancies her." Hermione said after Ron went red and volunteered to get drinks from Madam Rosmerta. Leah giggled and nodded. Ron came back with four butter beers, balancing them very well. Leah took hers before they dropped.

"Happy Christmas." Ron said. Leah smiled as they all drank their drinks. There was silence until the door opened and in walked Hagrid, McGonagall, Fudge and, hardly noticeable, Flitwick. Leah and Ron pushed Harry under the table while Hermione made a tree move in front of it to block them from sight. They watched as the teachers ordered their drinks and then talk changed to Sirius Black.

"So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?" Madam Rosmerta asked.

"What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?" Leah shifted nervously in her seat. The others paid her no attention. Leah forced herself to pay attention to what was being said.

"I did hear a rumour," Madam Rosmerta admitted.

"Did you tell the whole pub, Hagrid?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Do you think Black's still in the area, Minister?" Madam Rosmerta whispered. Leah got on the floor next to Harry. It helped to hear things better somehow.

"I'm sure of it," Fudge said.

"You know that the Dementors have searched my pub twice?" Rosmerta said. "Scared all my customers away. Bad for business, Minister."

"Rosmerta, m'dear, I don't like them any more than you do," Fudge said. Leah made a noise of disbelief. "Necessary precaution…unfortunate, but there you are…I've just met some of them. They're in a fury against Dumbledore…he won't let them inside the castle grounds." For some weird reason or another, Leah zoned out. She came back to the conversation when her father's name was mentioned again.

"I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead." Rosmerta said.

"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," Fudge said. Leah held her breath, not knowing what she was doing. "The worst he did isn't widely known."

"The worst?" Rosmerta said. "Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?"

"I certainly do," Fudge said. Leah's hands balled into fists. She knew that any second, one of the lies about her father was about to be told. "You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta." McGonagall murmured. "Do you remember who his best friend was?"

"Naturally," Rosmerta said, laughing slightly. "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here…ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!"

Next to her, Harry dropped his glass with a loud clunk and Leah flinched but kept quiet, still holding her breath.

"Exactly," McGonagall said. "Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course, but I don't think we've ever had suck a pair of troublemakers…"

"I dunno," Hagrid said, chuckling. "Fred and George Weasley could give them a run for their money."

"You've have thought they were brothers!" Flitwick said. "Inseparable!"

"Of course the were," Fudge said. "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends." Leah and Harry looked at each other before turning their attention back to the teachers. "Nothing changed when the left school. Black was best man when James married Lily." Leah's prays were answered…none of them mentioned Sirius marrying her mother…or else Ron, Hermione and Harry would figure it all out. "They named him godfather to Harry. Harry has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him."

"Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know0Who?" Rosmerta whispered.

"Worse even than tat, m'dear…" Fudge said. "Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore, who was working tirelessly against him, had a number of spies. One of them tipped him off and he alerted James and Lily, as well as advised them to go into hiding. Of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from…" Again Leah zoned out. She knew they were talking about the charm and she knew all about it. Sabrina was the only one, alive that is, who knew that Sirius has convinced Lily and James to switch to Peter. She came back to reality soon after Flitwick explained the charm.

"Naturally." McGonagall said. "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather then tell where they were, that Black was planning on going into hiding himself…and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters' Secret-keeper himself."

"He suspected Black?" Rosmerta asked. Leah was getting more and more mad at them as they continued calling her father only by his last name.

"He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements," McGonagall said. "Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who."

"But James insisted on using Black?" Rosmerta asked.

"He did." Fudge said. "And then, barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed…"

"Black betrayed them?" Rosmerta said.

"He did indeed. Black was tired of his double-agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this from the moment of the Potters' death." Fudge said. Leah went to move but Harry grabbed at her arm and she reluctantly stayed still. "But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed." Leah's nails dug into her palms and cut through the skin there, making her hands bleed. She put her hands on her arms and ignored the pain. She couldn't get her attention off the talking. "His Master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colours as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it…"

"Filthy, stinking turncoat!" Hagrid said loudly so that half the bar went quiet.

"Shh!" McGonagall said.

"I met him!" Hagrid growled. "I musta been the last to see him before he killed all them people! It was me who rescued Harry from Lily and James' house after they were killed! Just got him out of the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead, and his parents dead." Leah gave a slight yelp of pain when she discovered she had broken the skin on her arms as well. She heard a shush from above that came from Hermione. "And Sirius Black turns up, on that flying motorbike he used to ride. Never occurred to me what he was doing there. I didn't know he'd been Lily and James' Secret-Keeper. Thought he'd just heard the news of You-Know-Who's attack and came to see what he could do. White and shaking, he was. And you know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERING TRAITOR!" Leah jumped from the roar, as did Harry.

"Hagrid, please!" McGonagall said. "Keep your voice down."

"How was I to know he wasn't upset about Lily and James? It was You-Know-Who he cared about! And them he says, 'Give Harry to me, Hagrid, I'm his Godfather, I'll look after him…me and my wife.' Well the wife part maybe…but not him. Ha!" Leah let out a breath of relief that Hagrid didn't mention Sabrina…just said wife. "But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, and I told Black no. Dumbledore said Harry had to stay with his aunt and uncle. Never understood why Dumbledore didn't have Harry's godmother take care of him." Leah was started to wonder why he never mentioned Sabrina's name…but she was glad he didn't. "Black argued, but in the end he gave in. Told me to use his motorbike. 'I won't need it any more,' He says."

Leah wanted to leave again but Harry kept his hand firmly on her shoulder so she couldn't move.

"I should have known there was something fishy going on. He loved that bike almost as much as he loved his family, what he doing giving it to me? Why wouldn't he need it anymore? It was too easy to trace. Dumbledore knew he'd been the Potters' Secret-keeper. Black knew he'd have to run that night, knew it was a matter of hours before the Ministry was after him. I bet, if I had given Harry to him, he would have pitched him off the bike halfway out to sea. His best friends' son! But when a wizard foes to the dark side, there's nothing and no one that matters to them any more…"

A long silence came and Leah felt a few tears run down from her eyes. Rosmerta talked again and Leah focused on them instead of on her own stupid problems.

"Alas, if only we had." Fudge said. "We weren't the ones to find him. It was little Peter Pettigrew…another of Potters' friends." Leah growled and her face hardened. She wasn't sure why. Why was she getting all pissed off over the mention of someone she only met…probably once or twice in her life? "Maddened by grief, no doubt, and knowing that Black had been the Potters' Secret-keeper, he went after Black himself."

Leah turned her attention to her bleeding hands and arms. She managed to keep her attention on the blood through the rest of the talking.

"Well there you have it Rosmerta." Fudge said. "Black was taken away by twenty members of the Magical Law Enforcement Patrol…in front of his wife and child I might add… and Pettigrew received the Order of Merlin, First Class, which I think was more comfort to his poor mother. Black's been in Azkaban ever since."

"Is it true he's mad Minister?" Rosmerta asked.

"I wish I could say that he was." Fudge said. "I certainly believe his master's defeat unhinged him for a while. The murder of Pettigrew and all those Muggles was the action of a cornered and desperate man…pointless. Yet I met Black on my last inspection of Azkaban. You know, most of the prisoners in there sit muttering to themselves in the dark, no sense in them…shocking how normal Black seemed. He spoke quite rationally to me. It was unnerving. Asked if I'd finished with my newspaper, cool as you please, said he missed doing the crosswords." Leah smiled at that. She vaguely remembered seeing her father sitting, on Sunday mornings, working on a crossword. "It was astounding how little the Dementors seemed to effect him….and he was the most guarded in the place. Dementors outside his door, day and night…except when his wife visited…they seem absolutely petrified of her."

"What do you think he's broken out for?" Rosmerta asked. "You don't think he's going to try and rejoin You-Know-Who, do you?"

"That probably is his…eventual plan." Fudge said. "But we hope to catch Black long before then. You-Know-Who…alone and friendless is one thing, but give him back his most devoted servant and I shudder to think how fast he will rise again." McGonagall said something and the teachers left while Rosmerta went back behind the bar.

"Harry?" Ron and Hermione's faces appeared under the table. They looked at Harry who was looking at Leah who just scooted out from under the table, stood up and walked quickly from the pub.

"Was it just me…or was she bleeding?" Harry asked. The other two looked startled.

Leah was lying on her bed when Hermione found her. She didn't pay attention as Hermione crossed the room and sat on the bed, looking at Leah's arms that had lines of blood on them, and at her hands, the palms practically covered in blood. Hermione rose and left the dorm but came back with water and a cloth. She forced Leah to sit up and Leah watched as Hermione cleaned the blood up.

"That affected you more then we know didn't it." Hermione said. Leah didn't answer. Hermione finished then left the room again.

"She ok?" Harry asked.

"She's not talking." Hermione said, joining him and Ron at the table.

"Who on earth would reproduce with Black?" Ron asked.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Remember…Fudge said Black was taken away in front of his wife and child." Ron said. "Who would marry him either?"

"I doubt if he was always that way." Hermione said. "Remember…he was Harry's dad's best friend." She sounded like she knew something the boys didn't.

"Hermione…where was Leah bleeding?" Harry asked.

"Her arms and palms. Looked like she dug her fingernails a little too deep." Hermione said. With that she went back upstairs. Leah was still awake when Hermione came into the room. Hermione walked over to the bed and sat down again. Leah looked at her. "He's your father…isn't he?"

"Who?" Leah asked, pretending not to know.

"You know who." Hermione said. "He's your father." Leah stared at Hermione then sighed and nodded. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"He's after Harry…who's like my best friend…would you want your best friend to know that the person who's trying to kill him is your father?" Leah asked. Hermione shook her head before going to her own bed. Leah sat awake for a while. When Crookshanks jumped onto her bed, Leah got out of it quickly, grabbed her invisibility cloak and put her shows on, not worrying about anything else. She once again followed the cat out of the common room, the school, across the grounds, through the tunnel and into the house where Leah yanked off the cloak.

"What's wrong?" Sirius asked, coming from the upper level and changing into himself. He looked at Crookshanks curiously.

"You didn't arrange this?" Leah asked.

"No." Sirius said. He then spotted the red marks of his daughter's arms and hands. "What the bloody hell happened?"

"I did it to myself before you go ballistic." Leah said. "We overheard Fudge, McGonagall, Rosmerta, Flitwick and Hagrid talking…about you." Sirius's face changed to an unreadable expression. He noticed how Leah hadn't moved since she got through the tunnel, as if she was getting ready to run back down the tunnel at any minute.

"I'm not going to attack you." Sirius said.

"I…I know…" Leah said.

"Well obviously not if you're acting edgy and not moving from the opening of the tunnel." Sirius said. He sounded bitter.

"I wasn't gonna…" Leah said.

"So much for you believing in me." Sirius said.

"Dad." Leah said. "I'm still trying to understand everything I heard. It's a big shock for me. Hearing only bits and pieces of stuff from mom…and then all this shit from Fudge." Leah looked down. She looked back up at Sirius after a while. "Why did you attack Ron on Halloween?"

"I didn't." Sirius said.

"What were you trying to do?" Leah asked.

"Not attack him." Sirius said. "I know who it was. The hair kind of gave it away."

"What were you doing in there anyways?" Leah asked.

"Won't matter if I tell you…you won't remember tomorrow." Sirius said.

"Exact…what?" Leah asked.

"Why do you think you haven't remembered the first one?" Sirius asked.

"Look who doesn't trust who now." Leah said, frowning. "I should get back…Hermione was really worried about me and if I'm gone too long she'll probably get McGonagall or someone."

"Right." Sirius said. He just sounded tired now. "One more thing…you and Harry need brooms right?" Leah nodded. "Hmm…alright. Sorry about that if that was partially my fault. I just wanted to see you guys play." Leah smiled and walked over to him then gave him a light hug. "Take care of each other."

"No duh." Leah said. She followed Crookshanks back again with Sirius following behind again. Leah went up to the common room by herself. She put her cloak back in her trunk and fell asleep.

The next morning Leah was sitting between Harry and Hermione in charms when the door opened and Dumbledore stepped into the classroom.

"Professor Flitwick…may I borrow Miss Black for the remainder of the period?" He asked.

"Yes, of course Headmaster." Flitwick said. Leah slid her books back into her bag and followed Dumbledore out of the room. She looked at Dumbledore then at Sabrina before her jaw dropped.

"Mum! What are you doing here?" Leah asked, hugging Sabrina.

"Thought I'd pay you a little visit…see how Remus is doing…make sure Snape isn't being a big…" Sabrina said, Dumbledore made a slight noise. "Opps…sorry professor."

"Hmm?" Dumbledore asked. "I haven't the foggiest what you were talking about." Leah laughed. She spent the rest of what would have been her charms class, as well as what would have been Herbology, walking her mom down memory lane.

"How is he?" Sabrina asked.

"Good." Leah said, not bothering to ask who she was talking.

"You know I was talking about Harry right?" Sabrina asked.

"Yeah." Leah said. "You wanna join us for lunch?"

"Sure…I'll be here the rest of the day." Sabrina said. They headed to the great hall where Sabrina was attacked by the twins and Ginny.

"What are you doing here?" The three asked. Sabrina laughed and told them the same thing she told Leah before taking a seat between her daughter and Ron and across from Harry and Hermione. They ate in silence for a while, the four friends noticing that Sabrina's eyes rarely left the teachers table as they were locked on either Snape or Lupin.

"What do you guys have next?" Sabrina asked.

"Defense against the dark arts and Potions." Leah said.

"Perfect." Sabrina said. "Dumbledore said I can watch the classes. And make sure Snape behaves himself."

"Is there anyway we can have you here all the time?" Ron asked. Leah laughed and reached behind her mother to smack him.

When they walked into Lupin's class, Remus stared at Sabrina for a moment before hugging her. He looked tired but Leah remembered he was 'ill' last week. She went to her seat in the back between Ron and Harry. Remus introduced Sabrina and she took his seat before he could seat down. The class all laughed, as did Remus, and the lesson began.

"You guys go on ahead…I'm just gonna chat with Remus for a few minutes." Sabrina said as the four teens waited for her to join them. They all nodded and left the classroom, heading to the dungeon for Potions. Draco was talking with Crabbe and Goyle and a few others near the door. Leah wrenched her eyes away from him. Her last encounter with him, outside of class, had involved in another closet kiss. Leah really didn't want to admit that she wanted another repeat of that. Like the first one, she never told or mentioned it to anyone.

About ten minutes after the class started, the door opened and Sabrina waltzed in. The Gryffindors all smiled at the shocked look on Snape's face.

"Well well…how you doing Snivillus?" Sabrina said the name quietly but Leah heard it, having been forced to move to the front row because she was chatting with Harry. Leah snickered and Snape turned to look at her. "Don't give my daughter any problems." Snape seemed to be fighting against himself but he didn't do anything. Sabrina winked at Leah before taking a seat near the front. Snape made no attacks on Leah or Harry.

That night Leah was awaken, not by Crookshanks, but by Sabrina, who she thought had gone home.

"Mum…what's up?" Leah asked, sitting up.

"I need you to stay here over the holidays." Sabrina said.

"I thought I was going to get to go home." Leah said.

"I'm sorry sweetie. There are some things I gotta do which will actually get me out of the country for the next few weeks." Sabrina said. "But hey…Harry, Ron and Hermione are staying."

"Yeah…Harry always stays." Leah said.

"And you have to stay close to Harry." Sabrina said. Leah nodded. They hugged and Sabrina kissed Leah's forehead. "Be a good girl and stay out of trouble." Leah gave Sabrina a look. "Ok…try not to get into too much trouble…that sound better?"

"Yep." Leah said. She watched Sabrina leave the dorm then lied down, wondering what had happened that made her mother have to change the plans so suddenly.

On Christmas day Leah was awaken by Hermione yelling at her. She yanked the curtains away from Leah's bed and pulled the blanket right off the bed. That's how Hermione had woken Leah up all year.

"I'm up I'm up!" Leah said, sitting up and looking at the presents. She looked at Hermione who was now opening her own presents. Leah started opening hers. She had the regular gift from Mrs. Weasley which consisted of the normal treats and a new sweater. After the first few years, Molly gave up making Leah dresses and just made her a sweater like she did for the boys. Leah's sweater was black with a tabby cat on it.

From her grandparents Leah had gotten a new sketch pad, a sharp pencil that was enchanted to never break, and pencil crayons of practically every shade of every colour. They were enchanted like the pencil. From Harry she got a broomstick care kit (like what Hermione gave him for his birthday). From Ron she got a locket necklace in the shape of a star and played music when it was open. From Hermione she got a book that was set back in ancient Troy…a muggle book…and Leah loved it.

"What's that?" Hermione asked, looking at the last package that was long and thin.

"From my mom." Leah said, looking at the small card attached. She put it with the others and opened the package before gasping as a broomstick rolled out.

"My god…it's a firebolt!" Hermione said, looking at the name on the handle.

"Bloody hell. I knew my mom was planning on getting me a broom…but I never figured she'd spend the money for a Firebolt." Leah said.

"You better thank her." Hermione said.

"Yeah…do not tell Harry or Ron alright." Leah said. Hermione looked confused but nodded. She picked up Crookshanks and they left to go into the boys' dorm after Leah put on her sweater and some jeans.

"Oh Harry…who sent you it?" Hermione asked, looking at the firebolt on Harry's bed.

"No idea." Harry said.

"Leah just…" Hermione started but Leah elbowed her and made a noise before shaking her head. The boys looked confused.

"There was no note." Harry said. Hermione's face fell and Leah looked at her with a confused look. Suddenly she didn't feel like being in the room so she left and went down to the common room. She was the only one there seeing as how it was only the four of them that had stayed. She didn't mention it but on the card from her mom, it also included a very messy signature, almost impossible to read, but Leah knew it was Sirius'. She wasn't sure how she knew but she did.

Leah was knocked from her thoughts when Scabbers ran down the stairs, followed by Crookshanks. Leah quickly pulled her legs up onto the couch before Scabbers ran over her feet. Ron, Harry and Hermione ran down the stairs after them. Hermione picked up Crookshanks and Ron grabbed Scabbers. There was an argument that Leah walked out on halfway through and she headed down to breakfast. She wasn't going to take sides. She hated Scabbers and could have taken Hermione's side because of it. She was Ron's best friend and could have taken his side because of that…that's why she stayed neutral.

Here you go…this is the next chapter. What part do you guys want to see happen next? Really, the only thing I can remember after Christmas is, of course, the end of it, and also the last Quidditch match. So what do you people wanna see?