Sniffy: Hello!
Sirius: Why are you so cheerful?
Sniffy: Because vacation had started, I finally ended this chapter, I write second chapter of another story, HBP is in ten days. Need more reasons?
Sirius: No.
Sniffy: But I'm not happy about one thing.
Sirius: Which one?
Sniffy: My beta left for a vacation and she will not come back until the end of July. So if you want to read chapter 18 before HBP comes out you are going to suffer from my beta reading skills. And they are rather...
Sirius: Bad one?
Sniffy: It's not exactly what I meant but close to...
Sirius: Remember that you have something to do here.
Sniffy: Right. UnSerious Sirius – thank you and I have beta reader, we just have a little misunderstanding with chapter 17 and since she is not coming back until the end of the month you may suffer from my grammar here. Sorry.
Sirius: Goldgrin.
Sniffy: Thank you. You think so? Perhaps you are right. I love twisting things around. Here is next part.
Sirius: Here comes Sniffy's tirade Shinigami.
Sniffy :takes deep breath: I DON'T HATE JAMES POTTER! Or Lily. In fact I quite like them. Not as much as Sirius but still. I may make them sound like complete gits at the beginning, but it's going to change in the future. So I warn you Harry curses them to oblivion ( or close to ) at the end of the chapter. As for Percy? He lied to Mirzam then, you will see why in next chapter. The point of Sirius's father under Imperious curse was an explanation of his behavior. I don't know who put them under the curse, I needed it in the story but I didn't need the name of that man here. As for Sirius, how I was supposed to make his father a decent person when he bad mouthed him in OotP?
Sirius: You still have some things to say here.
IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT.
Sniffy: True. As you know HBP is in ten days and there is no way that I will manage to end Family Portrait alone before it, and I'm not talking about the rest of the series. So it's your decision if you want me to continue what I started here after HBP comes out. And you know that changed authors profile? I have 91 hits for Family Portrait and 72 reviews. I may made ten hits on my own while checking some things here but still. :glares: Anyway. As I said before my beta will come back by the end of the month so if you really want to read it, read it and don't flame me for my grammar and spelling, because I know that I sometimes sucks.
Sirius: That leads to: READ ( if you want ) and REVIEW ( she knows if you were here ).
Sniffy: True. Lead song!
Sirius: Finally!
In our family portrait
We look pretty happy
We look pretty normal
Lets go back to that
In our family portrait
We look pretty happy
Lets play pretend, act like it goes naturally
Chapter eighteen: Life goes on.
'Today was a day to remember,' Raven Black thought to himself when he collapsed onto his bed in one of many Hurghada's hotels.
Truly, the 13th August 1996 was the day which would be engraved in minds of many guest of Grimmauld Place 12. Talitha woke them up at 6am and stuffed them with a breakfast before ordering Sirius, Mirzam, Raven, Rowan and Harry to check their luggage, if they packed everything what they wanted to take to Egypt.
After a hour of checking and rechecking their suitcases Mirzam told Talitha that they have packed everything what they wanted for the trip. Sirius on the other hand salvaged himself from the pandemonium downstairs and spent two hours after breakfast somewhere at the attic. Raven and Harry found him there he was muttering something about how easy was to marry in Las Vegas.
"No bossy mothers ordering around. No wedding parties. No bloody tail-coats. No ministry officials. Just us, a best man and quick dinner in restaurant. Bloody hell!"
Raven and Harry giggled silently.
"You look like someone stuck a broom into your ass Sirius. Come on you big kid, you survived one wedding and you will survive another," commented Regulus who appeared at the attic short after Sirius' sons and watched his older brother in amusement.
"Maybe someone did. Look at it Reg. Did you ever saw me in a tail-coat?" Sirius looked like he was going to faint as soon as he put on that tail-coat on his neck.
"No. That's why I'm looking forward it. Sirius Mufrid Black in a tail-coat. Hell will froze. Even when you were Potters best man you appeared on their wedding in leather pants and a suit jacket," Regulus joked.
"It wasn't suit jacket, you git, it was mine old leather jacket," Sirius growled.
"And white shirt without cravat. You said something about hanging yourself on the nearest chandelier, if you ever wear a cravat," Regulus smiled.
"Reg, do me a favour and…" Sirius started but was cut by Regulus whom smile get even wider.
"I'll be back in half of hour. Stay away from mum Siri" then he appareted to somewhere.
"I was about saying that he should shut up if he wants to survive to his wedding day," Sirius commented which sent Raven and Harry into giggles again.
When Regulus came back with a suitcase he kicked out Raven and Harry from the attic and told them to find a way to keep Talitha away from the attic. So Raven and Harry spent nearest two hours at annoying Talitha and asking her rather stupid questions. Harry's best idea was asking Talitha about her own wedding which occupied her until 11am. When she ended the story at her father's biggest faux pas at the wedding and then she glanced at the watch she screamed and run upstairs. Professor Dumbledore along with the rest of the staff appeared five minutes later, dressed in their best suits. Short after them Amelia Bones appeared with ten Aurors, dressed in their official uniforms. Raven for a moment feared that they are going to arrest his parents but Shacklebolt explained him that this habit was fairly common between Aurors. When one of them is getting married, the others are present at the wedding in their official uniforms.
"The groom is also supposed to marry dressed in his official uniform too," said Kingsley and eyed the staircase.
Regulus who was getting down from the attic when he saw the Aurors he motioned to them to get into the garden. When they left the main hall Regulus told Raven to find Snape and suggested checking study where Snape was supposed to be. When Raven get into the study he got a shock of his life. The man before him dressed into Hogwarts professor's uniform for certain wasn't his Potion Master, Severus Snape.
"Your father is still hiding from his mother?" the man before him asked.
Raven nodded before he answered "He was at the attic this morning, dunno where Regulus hid him later,"
Just when Raven ended his explanation one of the bookshelves in the study moved on the right and from hidden beside it passageway Sirius Black walk out.
Sirius was dressed in Auror uniform with few orders. He looked so… official.
"Ready?" Sirius asked the man.
"As ready as I can be. If someone told be years ago that I'm going to be your best man at your wedding I would sent that person to St. Mungo without asking," answered the man.
"If someone told me years ago that I will ask Severus Snape to be my best man at my wedding I would sent that person to mad house without a blink," Sirius joked back.
"Look where we ended," 'Snape' answered.
Raven gapped at him in shock. That was Severus Snape? 'Well he did something with his hair' Raven thought.
"Raven could you check if all guest are in the garden?" Sirius asked.
"I did it. Everybody are in the garden, mum included. We are waiting for you. Tell me you don't want to be late at your own wedding," Regulus commented.
Raven turned to him Regulus just like Sirius was in his Auror uniform. Regulus motioned to Snape to get down to the garden. Raven took this opportunity to ask his father about what happened to old Snape.
"Narcissa get her hands on him. I doubt that this image will last. Let's get down. Mirzam promised me something dreadful if I pulled 'James' at the wedding"
When they get into the garden everybody was there, almost everybody. Mirzam and professor Dumbledore weren't anywhere at sight.
"You barely made it. Everybody are anxious," said Rowan when Raven sat down next to her.
Sirius and Snape were already standing at the Altar together with Amelia Bones. Raven turned around in his place and saw the Aurors standing behind the last row of chairs. Shacklebolt smiled at him and Raven smiled back.
"Here comes the bride," Dora whispered.
Indeed. Mirzam were lead to the altar by professor Dumbledore, followed by Narcissa. When Aurors saw them coming they pulled their wands and raised them in a way that they made a passage way. Mirzam and professor Dumbledore come under it and arrived to the altar where Dumbledore give her hand to Sirius. Raven thought that he heard a sniff from behind him, he quickly turned and saw Talitha whipped her tears.
The rest of the ceremony went uneventful and by the 1pm Sirius and Mirzam were 'properly married' like Talitha said later. The wedding party was a blur in Raven's mind later. Dancing, joking, smiling, eating the cake, drinking champagne, calling the cab which would take them to the airport and the flight to Hurghada, the dinner in the hotel.
"You know what maybe we should leave them alone for a day or two," Harry who occupied other bed yawned.
"True. They were hardly alone in the same room lately," Rowan agreed and sat down on Raven's bed.
"Maybe I should leave you alone too. You are a couple and you were always surrounded by the rest of us lately," Harry suggested.
"Harry we really don't mind you," Raven and Rowan said together.
"I know, but I also know that a couple need a little time together. I'm taking day off tomorrow" Harry mumbled.
"Thanks but you don't have to..." started Raven but stopped when he heard snores coming from Harry's bed.
"Maybe we should take example from him now, don't you think Raven? Tomorrow we may go for a walk along the beach" Rowan suggested.
"And later we may spent some time around the swimming pool, sunbathing, swimming," Raven tried to suppress a yawn.
"Fancy sleeping together or on separated beds?" Rowan snuggled to him.
"Together," Raven mumbled and pulled her closer.
He didn't even realised when he fall asleep. They woke up next day somewhere around 8am. Harry wasn't anywhere at sight. They dressed up and went down for a breakfast. Sirius and Mirzam were already there and still no sight of Harry.
"Morning. Sleep well?" Mirzam asked happily.
"Wonderfully. Did you saw Harry lately?" Raven asked.
"He hared out sometime in the morning I think. Dunno why," answered Sirius and drunk remains of his coffee.
"We planed a trip to city, are you coming with us?" asked Mirzam.
"Nope. We will stay here, we are too lazy for a trip, go alone, you deserve a little time together," answered Raven.
"Fine. We are not sure if we would come back for lunch but we are sure that we will be back for the dinner. See you then. Mirzam did you eat everything?" Sirius asked and stood up from his chair.
Mirzam nodded and stood up too "See you later. Stay away from troubles," she winked before they left.
"A walk first or we are playing lazy bums near the swimming pool?" Raven turned to Rowan.
"Swimming pool definitely, we may go for a walk after lunch," she smiled to him.
Raven and Rowan spent next two hours at sunbathing before they decided to go for a short walk along the beach it turned into rather long walk and they missed lunch time but they chose to come to the hotel restaurant.
Raven tried hard to not grin too much and he had a reason for grinning. Big reason.
'Dad and Remus would kill me if they would find out, but it was definitely worth that danger' Raven smirked to himself before he asked at loud "From where you are getting this wonderful idea?"
"You wouldn't believe me Raven," Rowan smiled at him.
"Try me," Raven leaned through the table.
"Mirzam. She give me that book..."
"Book? Mum?"
"She also told me that it is perfectly fine with her, she said something about our generations growing up quicker than twenty years ago so it didn't surprise her,"
"She told you this?" Raven stared at Rowan in shock.
"I also think that Harry's disappearance today has something to do with that talk. Your mother is very open minded, you know,"
"More like; she is young enough to remember how hard is to be sixteen" Raven joked.
They were in the middle of the main course when they saw two young people entering the restaurant. They looked familiar, very familiar.
"Harry? But who is with him?" Raven whispered.
"You don't recognise her?" Rowan whispered back.
Raven shook his head.
"You know her for at last five years Raven"
"Okay but who she is?"
"I can't believe you Raven, it's Katie Bell" Rowan stared at him.
Raven shrugged "She changed during this summer I have a right to take her for someone else, haven't I?"
"Of course that you have, it's that perhaps you should remember your team-mates names" Rowan smiled at him sheepishly.
Raven smiled back at her before he turned his head to Harry and Katie Bell. They were so engrossed in their discussion that they haven't realised that Raven and Rowan were sitting at next table. Then Raven turned to Rowan and asked "You think that we should leave them alone?"
Rowan nodded.
"Well I don't think that they will come anywhere near that little cinema on the other side of the street any time soon, don't you think Rowan. He gave us a privacy so we should repay him with the same" Raven said and slowly stood up before helping Rowan to stood up.
They spent next three hours in the cinema watching some sappy romance. After they left they both agree to not watch sappy romances in near future. They get to the hotel in time for early dinner.
"Raven! Rowan! How your day passed by?" Mirzam greeted them and pulled Rowan to the chair near her.
"How was your day dad?" Raven decided that since his fiancée and mother are talking about that little diversion in the morning he may as well approach his father.
"Fine. Nothing really exciting, but still fine," Sirius voice sounded like – Regulus often used the description of this tone as – someone stick a broomstick into his ass.
"Something wrong had happened?" Raven tried hard to not blush. 'He knows' Raven thought.
"We will find out next month, won't we?" Sirius looked at him stiffly.
Raven raised one eyebrow and stared at his father.
"Well I don't like be the last one to know, but your mother together with your fiancée planned that little diversion since the beginning of the month. It's not like I'm complaining, but I still think that you two are a bit too young for something so... big," Sirius took a sip from his glass.
"It will be nothing to worry about dad. You will not have little Blacks running around the house in the near future, I assure you," Raven patted his father's arm while smiling with relief, Sirius wasn't mad.
"Actually I will," Sirius grinned.
Raven stared at him.
"Mum biggest dream, she said to me that a decent Black should have at last three kids. I wonder why she give a birth to two sons only then. Besides Mirzam will be under 'house arrest' for whole pregnancy so at last I wouldn't be worried about that something happened to her,"
"You are serious?" Raven asked.
"Yes, I'm Sirius and I'm serious about what I told you moment ago. According to healer Abdul sometime in April you two will get a little brother. Wonderful news, isn't it?"
"Oh brother," Raven mumbled.
"Actually two brothers. Amy Bones get her hands on Harry's papers, by the end of the month Harry will be a Black. Speaking about Harry did you saw him after breakfast?"
"Once, he was rather busy so we decided to not interrupt him,"
"Busy with something or someone?" Sirius raised one eyebrow.
Raven hadn't a chance to answer.
"Harry! Where have you been?" Mirzam raised her head to look at her second son who were slowly approaching the table.
"Here and there mum" Harry answered while sitting down in his chair.
"Does it have something to do with that lipstick on your cheek?" Sirius looked at Harry through his glass of wine.
"Lipstick where? I thought that I whipped it all," Harry started whipping his face like a cat.
Mirzam and Rowan giggled, Raven snorted and Sirius tried to hide a smirk.
"McGonagall oldest trick. Guilty until proven innocent. You haven't any lipstick on you cheek, I was just checking what you were doing today," Sirius explained.
"Not as much as my brother here," Harry snorted.
Everybody laughed.
They spent next two days separately too. Raven and Rowan on the pool. Harry wondering around with Katie Bell and Mirzam and Sirius in the city. Third day was supposed to pass like the ones before it. Was, but didn't.
At 2am Raven were laying on his bed, Rowan was in the bathroom, Harry slept on his bed. Suddenly loud scream was heard from the room on their right, Mirzam's and Sirius' room. Raven bolted from the room, followed by Rowan wrapped in a towel with dripping hair and half asleep Harry.
Mirzam was sitting on the bed while Sirius was pacing across the room.
"What had happened?" Raven asked.
"We are coming back to England," said Sirius.
"Ministry of Magic was attacked. Fudge and his closest co-workers are dead. Amy Bones too. We lost ten Aurors. No one from the Order, but still. Rowan go pack your things," Mirzam rose from the bed.
When Raven come back to their room Rowan and Mirzam had packed almost all their belongings.
"Change in plan Mirzam, when we get back to London, you are taking a cab and coming back to Grimmauld with kids, I will go to the Ministry or rather to what was left from it," Sirius head appeared in the doorway.
"You know that I'm not happy about it," Mirzam said.
"I know but they need you there, besides in your state now..."
"Sirius for heaven's sake! I was working for whole pregnancy when I was expecting Raven!"
"I know, but you are not that young any more and you need to be careful. Rowan you will keep an eye on her for me?" Sirius asked.
Rowan nodded.
How it was possible that they get back to London before 6am was a mystery for Raven. Mirzam obeyed Sirius order and get back to house with them. Talitha screamed when she saw them. Ted almost twisted his ankle while trying to get out from the house and went to help Sirius. Remus and Regulus followed him asking Snape to stay with the rest of the family.
At 8am whole house was awake and ready for next call.
Suddenly loud yell was heard from the kitchen "Andie call the Order, ask for Aurors. Dora you are coming with me!" Mirzam's voice was now heard in the main hall.
"What had happened?" Raven and the rest of kids showed their heads through study door.
"St. Mungo's is being attacked now. I don't give a damn about what Sirius was telling me in Egypt. I coming there," Mirzam muttered angrily.
"I'm with you," Dora nodded.
"Same here," Belinda agreed.
"I'm not an Auror and didn't work as a Healer for some time, but I will come with you too, you may need me," Narcissa said slowly.
"Cissy, you can't!" Snape yelled.
"Watch me," Narcissa smiled.
"We are coming with you," Penelope Clearwater said firmly.
"No, I'm coming, you will stay here," Percy barked.
"I'm coming with you too. Women! Give them a right to lead a battle and they will win whole war," Snape muttered.
With the six pops they disaapareted.
"We better call them now," said Talitha. "Mirzam and Dora are Aurors but still they will need help."
Andromeda went to the kitchen to fire call all Aurors from the Order. Talitha claimed the study and the Floo Network there. She explained to them between the fire calls that Grimmauld Place 12 has two separated Floo Networks. Before 9am come they sent all Aurors to St. Mungo's, gathered Order meeting in the kitchen, ordered all members who were good with healing charms to help with victims, fire called Madam Pomfrey to come and help them.
Talitha found a time to sent the kids to east wing. As it turned east wing was one of the house at Grimmauld Place, the one closets to number 12. They were supposed to prepare beds for victims. They were very surprised when they found out that the Weasleys come to help them. Perhaps Mrs. Weasley took the warning to heart.
"They are coming. Healers to the main hall and help them," Talitha ordered.
"Raven, Rowan, Harry, Neville, Draco get to the laundry, on your right you will find clean sheets. Cut it so they could pass as bandages. Thabit, Kyle and you two," Andromeda motioned to Ron and Ginny. "Get down to the basement and bring as much water and wine from there as you can then bring it to east wing and then help the healers."
By the 11:47am all alive victims from the attack were brought to Grimmauld Place 12 and were taken under Healers care. Also almost all Aurors and Order members who come to help in St. Mungo's were back to Grimmauld Place 12 too. Almost all...
Raven searched his parents between those who came back. They weren't there. Raven started panicking, but after fifteen minutes since the last member and Auror turned out at Grimmauld Place 12 they came back. Sirius has a nasty scar through his face and he was caring Mirzam in his arms. Her left leg was hanging in weird angle.
"I need free Healer," Sirius yelled.
Madam Pomfrey was at his side in an instant. They took Mirzam to the closets bedroom, Talitha, Harry and Raven with them.
"How she is?" Talitha asked.
"For sure she has a twisted left ankle. But I need to perform examining charm on her," Madam Pomfrey answered.
Mirzam sat up on the bed and assured them "I'm fine."
"Lie down sweetheart it will only take a moment," Madam Pomfrey showed her into lying position.
Mirzam muttered something angrily but obeyed her.
"Curious, very curious. Nothing to worry about, save that twisted ankle, but she shouldn't go fight with the others," Madam Pomfrey muttered after casting examining charm.
"Why?" Talitha asked.
"She is pregnant. Four weeks in exactly," Madam Pomfrey said calmly.
"She is what?" Talitha asked again.
"Pregnant."
"Did you know about it?" shocked Talitha turned to Mirzam.
Mirzam nodded before she said "I'm perfectly fine. Now fix my ankle,"
"In your state it's highly irresponsible thing to do," Madam Pomfrey said carefully.
"You will fix it or did I have to take care of this by myself?" Mirzam sent old Matron nasty glare.
"You will stay here until the end of the day, then we will fix it," Madam Pomfrey said.
"Fine. Fine. I get your point. But I don't give a damn about it. Sirius! Stop staring and help me," Mirzam muttered.
"You can't do that!" Madam Pomfrey yelled at him.
"I can. I, for once don't want to end at the wrong end of her wand," Sirius muttered and help Mirzam to stand up.
"Objection! You are pregnant. You should stay in bed. If I knew before that..." Talitha started ranting but was cut by Mirzam.
"That's why I didn't told you. Tally I'm fully trained Auror. For heaven's sake we are in war Tally! When I was pregnant with Raven I was working until last day of pregnancy..."
"Not to mention that she fought with two Death Eaters and managed to send them to Azkaban day before Raven was born. I may not liking the fact that she was working and will be working during pregnancy, actually I would be happy if she will stay here where she is safe but I know her mum. I tried to stop her once and I still have a scar from it," Sirius cut Mirzam.
"A scar?" Raven and Harry asked.
"It was bad idea to start talking about her taking a vacation for pregnancy when she had hot pan in her hand. She stood too close to me then and I never managed to duck from that hit. I still have a burnt," Sirius explained.
"But it's very irresponsible thing from your part Mirzam..." Talitha started.
"Are you turning into Molly Weasley, Tally? Just let it go. I have a thing for living up to my own rules and lying low during pregnancy is not one of them. Sirius and I have a talk about this and I promised that I will stay home after reaching eight month of pregnancy," Mirzam said calmly.
"You mean that you will be up until March?" Talitha asked her.
"Beginning of the April actually but yes and I will stay home until the kid is six months old..." Mirzam started explaining but Talitha cut her.
"You should stay home after you reach fourth month of pregnancy and at last until the kid is one year old!" Talitha muttered angrily.
"I'm not an example of a mother who gives up her dreams and responsibilities, especially responsibilities, just to stay home with the kids, it's Molly's Weasley piece of cake, Tally,"
"It's not only your war Mirzam!" Talitha screamed at her.
"It is Tally, you don't know how much of that war is my own war and believe me Tally you wish to never find out why I think so," Mirzam said quietly and after leaning on Sirius arm they both left the room.
Talitha and Madam Pomfrey turned to both boys.
"It's her place to tell you not ours," said Harry quietly and he motioned to Raven to follow him.
"Now I know after who I'm taking that trait" Raven said to Harry.
Harry just nodded.
"Thank you for gathering here. I think that we should talk about what had happened today but before we start I have an introduction to do first," said Dumbledore when all members of the Order of the Phoenix gathered in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place 12, Ron, Ginny, Thabit and Kyle were sent to beds ten minutes ago.
Everybody stared at him quizzically. Dumbledore slipped something from his robes and let it fall on the ground before he said "Change back."
It started growing and suddenly became a woman. She was old, her hair was red but here and there were greying, her eyes were green and almond shaped. Somewhere on Raven's right someone loosened a grip on a goblet of wine and Raven heard shattering of the glass on stoned floor. Raven turned to see who did it. It was Mirzam, her face was blank, no emotions at all.
"Meet my daughter Kate Serena Dumbledore," Dumbledore said without hiding the pride.
"Rather meet Voldemort's biggest whore: Kate S. Dumbledore-Riddle" Mirzam's voice was emotionless.
"Mirzam!" Dumbledore scowled her.
"What? It's not a lie. I don't get your reasons about you bringing her here Dumbledore," Mirzam's voice sounded a little surprised.
"My daughter is not a whore..." Dumbledore started but Mirzam cut him immediately.
"Sorry my mistake. She married that scum Tom Riddle. I take back the whore comment," Mirzam snorted sarcastically.
"Watch your mouth young lady," the witch scowled her.
"Or what? Are you going to spank me or put me in the corner?" Mirzam's voice was still sarcastic.
"You should respect elders! You little piece of shit!" Kate Dumbledore screamed at Mirzam.
"Well I rather be a piece of shit than Voldemort's slut" Mirzam commented.
"If your father..." Kate started.
"You mean that shittiest excuse of a parent who had killed my sister. Loving daddy, really," Mirzam snorted.
"You, you..." Kate scowled.
"Need a dictionary to find a word to insult me?"
"You little snake!"
"Lion actually,"
"I came here because..."
"I came here because I remember that today is our little anniversary. Exactly twenty-bloody-one years since I fucked up your life Verascez," Mirzam mimicked Kate's expression.
"I didn't. It's not my fault that you reacted that badly to that news,"
"What I was supposed to do? Run to you with outstretched arms and hug you. No way, I will rather hug a basilisk," Mirzam snorted.
"You little piece of shit. Did you ever thought how I felt? I know you too good," Kate snarled at her.
"Did you? Fine. Just find a girl and let her world crush down. That's all you can do..."
"I raised a snake on my breast..." Kate started.
"I will cheer you up, you didn't raised me. Thank Merlin for that,"
"I'm still your mother young woman. You were supposed to follow your father..."
"You are not my mother! A mother is a person who doesn't leave her children alone to deal with the burden of the world. A mother knows her child. She tries to help her child. She knows her child, it feelings, fears, hopes, dreams. That's what real mother do. You don't give me that half-fucked up explanation about you knowing me, because when I needed a mother the most – what a surprise – you weren't there!" Mirzam screamed.
"You..."
"I don't give a damn about you! For me you can kick the bucket right here, right now and I will not care! Because you never cared for me. I was only a weapon for you if my shittiest excuse of father would become bored with you and want you to leave to stay"
"How da..."
"I have to deal with everything by myself. Your sudden need to confess your decision almost resulted with my suicide! You weren't there and you weren't there willingly so you don't have a right to told me what to do, you never had this and you never will!"
"Mirzam are you telling us that you are..." Dumbledore started but she cut him.
"Yes! I'm Mirzam Cassiopeia Dumbledore-Riddle-Verascez-Black, I'm the daughter of Kate Serena Dumbledore-Riddle and Tom Marvolo Riddle. The Wizarding World biggest imbecile and the greatest hypocrite that ever exist. Not the only one, but let my sister rest in peace, thanks to my shittiest excuse of father she never have a chance to see her son's growing up. Now get that shit out of this house before I lose all control I have!" Mirzam roared and suddenly wobbly fall at her chair putting her face in her hands.
"Came back to your master and stay away from her. If I find out that you somehow managed to come back to her again I will kill you without a blink. GET OUT!" Sirius roared and pointed at the door.
Kate Dumbledore shoot an angry glare at them and left.
"Mirzam?" Dumbledore started.
"Not now, please, not now..." Mirzam whinnied pitifully.
"I have question to Sirius. How long you have knew it?" Regulus asked.
"Since our seventeenth birthdays, half of the year after that bitch had told her," Sirius answered.
"And you stayed?" Talitha asked.
"Why I shouldn't stay? I knew Mirzam all my life and she was a good person. Her heritage didn't changed that. It's heart what it counts not blood. I respected her before I found out and gained even more respect towards her after I found out. She managed to go alone while dealing with that knowledge for six bloody months! For haven's sake I had to fought with her to take a knife from her hands. If I get to East Tower five minutes later she would be dead! She totally broke down after that fight. Screamed at me to let her die in peace. I couldn't... I always had loved her and knowing the truth didn't changed that. I wanted to protect her, I still want..." Sirius bend down to Mirzam's level and took her hands in his hands.
"He did so much to me... He was only one thing which kept me sane during this six months, then and after. He was and still is my strength, my hope, my love. He knows me better than I know myself. I asked him many times to leave me alone, to have a normal life with a woman who has a normal family, but he stayed. He was my only one constant in my life back then..." Mirzam looked into Sirius eyes.
"That's explain why you two were always attached to each other and why Mirzam is taking this war so personally" said Remus calmly.
"Because you don't want to be marked as Voldemort's daughter when the war will end. Because you want to have a proof that you weren't working for him..." said Talitha quietly.
"Because I want a revenge for Lily's death. Death which was caused by my so called father," Mirzam ended.
"Mirzam do you know that in the light of last event you should stay here?" Dumbledore asked her.
Mirzam nodded.
"It's a good thing. She shouldn't come back to work in this state," said Talitha.
"What you mean Tally?" Dumbledore turned to Talitha.
Talitha turned to look at Mirzam. Mirzam meet her eyes and nodded slowly.
"Mirzam is expecting a child," Talitha said quietly, but the information was heard in whole kitchen.
"A son actually. I will give birth sometime in April," Mirzam corrected her.
Dumbledore turned to Mirzam and stared at her in shock before he said "You had found him, haven't you?"
"Yes I did. I mean it was piece of cake. Niger Verscez's line doesn't ended where all of you thought it ended," Mirzam answered calmly.
"Considering the option that Niger hide his family true identity in the place that wasn't well guarded he made it easier to find. Besides as that old muggle phrase speaks 'You are searching far away something what is under your nose. Tell me Dumbledore what in Latin means Niger," said Sirius carefully.
"Black," Dumbledore answered slowly while switching glances between Mirzam and Sirius.
"That explains a lot" said Regulus and after he received questioning glances from most of the kitchen occupants he explained "Lately I have a talk with Mirzam. It was about arranged marriages between cousins. Mirzam slipped out something then. She said that she and Sirius are very, very distant cousins. I asked if she knew our history better than I and while she agreed that she does she refused to explain it then. Now I know the truth,"
"And what you are going to do with it?" asked Sirius.
"Hug you and congratulate you two third son?" Regulus asked.
"What you mean by third son?" Mrs. Weasley, surprisingly silent since the beginning of the meeting, asked impatiently.
"Harry's adoption papers arrived yesterday somewhere around 4pm. I forgot to tell you," Regulus answered.
"You mean..." Harry started but Sirius cut him.
"If you still want to do it you are welcome. Just one thing. Regulus explained it better to you, but I had to remind you. Blood-Adoption makes you a biological child of the people who adopt you. If you agree to do this you will be permanently considered as Black and you will be removed from all blood relations with Potter family, privileges included. So if you agree, you will have to say goodbye to all inheritances you received from Potters side as a Potter. Do you understand?"
"Yeah. I understand and I want to be adopted," Harry was almost jumping in his place.
"Mirzam I'm sure that you will want to help us still," said Dumbledore suddenly.
"You know how I feel about sitting here and doing nothing productive," Mirzam smiled.
"I'm sure that you remember what you were doing for us during last war," Dumbledore smiled back at her.
"You are giving me free access to work on this? Alone?" Mirzam stood up suddenly.
"Yes and if you want you can work alone, but I advise you to pick someone to help, you didn't complained last time about the help," Dumbledore kept smiling.
"I'm the one who makes rules with this?" Mirzam asked.
Dumbledore nodded "You and Lily have gone very far during last war, it would be an insult to yours sister memory if you left your job aside without ending it," he stood up and went to Mirzam.
Mirzam blushed furiously before she stood up and let Dumbledore hug her.
"If you success your name will be known in whole wizarding world... and even if you fail they will remember your name as the name of the one who tried," said Dumbledore slowly.
Mirzam blushed even more.
Belinda stared at them before she said "I know that you two know about what this discussion is but the rest of us would be happy if you two shared it with us," her voice was calm but Raven knew that she was curious.
"Somewhere around two years before Lord Voldemort attacked Godrick Hollow Lily and I – in deep secret from the rest of the Order of the Phoenix, save Dumbledore and Sirius – started experiments with counter curse for an Avada Kedavra. Dumbledore knew because we had to tell him and Sirius found on his own. We made pretty much back then, our counter curse worked on the animals but we needed to subject it on people" Mirzam started explaining but didn't ended because Mrs. Weasley cut her.
"You were throwing killing curse at other people!" she screamed.
"No you daft woman. Mirzam told us that they used killing curse on animals," Belinda corrected Mrs. Weasley and sat down close to Mirzam.
"Mice, rats, old cats, old dogs, old horses. Avada Kedavra affects every living thing, it doesn't matter if it is a animal or a human so we based our work on that at first. Counter curse was supposed to work a bit like killing curse in that matter," Mirzam explained more.
"Care to explain why and how?" asked Narcissa.
Mirzam propped on her chair and nodded before she continued "Why it should work like killing curse? I would need our old notes to explain it, speaking about Sirius sweetheart, you and I need to go together to Spinners End tomorrow. I will explain it later when I get my hands on our notes. First I will cool down your enthusiasm..."
Everybody, save Sirius stared at her. Mirzam took a slip from Sirius goblet before she said last thing "It doesn't work on humans,"
The silence in the kitchen was maddening.
"If it worked, Lily and James would be here with us. I used the counter curse on them day before Voldemort attacked them... They didn't survive,"
"Uncle Regulus I have a question," said Harry suddenly.
Regulus stared at him before he nodded.
"As far as I know, when you use Familious Potion, gold lines between the family relations means that one or both parents is dead, right?" Harry asked.
Regulus gapped at him even more but nodded.
"And black lines between family relations means that everything is fine?" Harry asked again.
Regulus nodded again.
"If it is possible for a child to pick his/hers guardians when he/she is sure that those one who are supposed to take care of him/her are the saddest excuse of guardians this world ever saw?" Harry asked another question.
"Of course that it is possible, but why you ask?" started Sirius but Harry didn't let him end this.
"Because the saddest excuse of people who are called my parents are fine and alive and I don't want to have anything to do with them!" Harry stood up and pulled off a piece parchment from his pocket and threw it at the table.
Raven with the rest of the family bend down over the piece of the parchment and all people gasped.
The lines which linked Harry James Potter with Lily Rose Evans and James Harold Potter were black. The Potters were alive.
Sirius: REVIEW ( she knows if you were here ).