Harry Potter and the Bane of Gryffindor Chapter 6: With Arms Wide Open, a harry potter fanfic

Chapter 6: - With Arms Wide Open

The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black's library was nearly the same size of the one at Hogwarts, it had 15 ft majestic oak doors with golden brass handles, marble floors with a beautiful ceiling, almost like the one in the Cistene Chapel. It was no doubt, the cleanest part of the house. With all these books, Alex was sure that she'd find what she was looking for. With her mother's yearbook in hand, she searched for the book that was suggested by Professor Dumbledore. 'Pure-blood Families of the Dark Ages'. While she was there, she thought it a good idea to get some books to prepare her 6th and 7th year students in September. Smiling to herself, she thought, ''Lupin and Hermione would love this." but on seeing the types of books that were in here, she quickly dismissed that thought.

"Ah, here it is." she said aloud.

Quickly scrolling down the contents page, she found what she was looking for. Scanning through the pages, she found the name Zambini.

THE ZAMBINI FAMILY
On arriving in Great Britain in the early 1950's from Hungary, the Zambini's tried to a little business for themselves in the Dark Arts. Mikail and Anna Zambini, who prospered fruitfully in Budapest found it quite difficult to live in this country because of it's harsh rules against the Dark Arts and those who practised it. Soon after, they found friends in the Malfoy and Snape families, who benefitted greatly in their evil practices and eventually, their little business soon grew worldwide, thus creating an opening for the Dark Lord Grindelwald's protege to begin his rise to power. In August of 1961, Anna Zambini gave birth to their small son, Marcus. Unfortunately for his parents, Marcus didn't turn out exactly how they expected. Being admitted into Hogwarts several years later, he befriended a young irish muggle born witch named Katarina MacCartney. But with him being in Slytherin and her in Ravenclaw, they couldn't be seen together. It was not until their final year at Hogwarts, they let their relationship come out into the open. With his parents deceased, they had no problem whatsoever. It was also then, that Katarina became pregnant with their first son, Jason, who was given his mother's maiden name and later, in 1980, she gave birth to her second son, Blaise, who was given his father's name, since Marcus and Katarina were wed. Blaise now attends Hogwarts and is in Slytherin House.

The book didn't mention what kind of dark arts they practised, but Alex definately knew what it was. She shuddered at the thought of it and exited the room.

Meanwhile, downstairs, an extremely nervous Ron knocked on Harry's door.

"Harry?" said Ron nervously.

"Ron!" exclaimed Harry, "I thought you were supposed to be talking to Hermione."

"I was but I panicked." explained Ron, "I was about to knock on her door when it hit me."

"When what hit you?" asked Harry.

"What if she turns me down?" said Ron, "I mean-

Rolling his eyes, Harry sat down on the bed, thinking of a way to get this through his friend's thick head.

"Ron will you shut up for a minute, please!" shouted Harry.

At Harry's tone of voice, Ron went silent immediately.

"Ok, look, I know Hermione might be angry, but that doesn't mean that she'll turn you down, Ron. Stop being so bloody pessimistic and look towards the future. Your possible future with the girl of your dreams." finished Harry.

"Well, since you put it that way." he said, smilling slightly.

"Good." grinned Harry, "now go on."

Ginny walked into the room, without knocking and closed the door behind her. Walking towards the bed, she thought of what to say to her best friend to make her feel better in anyway.

"'Mione?" she asked, as the girl looked up, "how are you feeling love?"

"Better I guess." she said softly, as Ginny sit on the bed, putting a comforting arm around her friend.

"Ok, well that's good, right?" said Ginny soothingly, hoping that she wouldn't cry again, but that was one wish that wasn't coming true anytime soon, ''my git, of a brother will come around sooner or later."

"But what if he doesn't," sobbed Hermione, "then he'll never know how I feel."

"Oh 'Mione, "whispered Ginny, "that won't happen, and besides, how would he know if you don't say anything?"

"Now, go get yourself cleaned up." said Ginny and with those words, she left the room.

In the basement kitchen, Molly Weasley was preparing lunch and humming to herself as usual. Things haven't been the same for her since SIrius died. Even though they both used to be at each other's throats all the time, she couldn't help but think that she'd lost one of her dearest friends. Sirius, a rebellious man, was always nice and charming when the time was right and he always knew how to liven a party. Sighing, she took the casserole out of the oven and put in the pie.

Meanwhile, in a cave in the Himalayan Mountains, a meeting of the Death Eaters was about to begin. The external regions of this cave would deceive those of the average eye and appear as the scene of a recent avalanche but the inside was very different. Inside the cave was very spacious, with beautiful marble walls with granite floors and a high gothic ceiling. Along the walls were torches, equally spaced and beneath these walls, was a labyrinth. Some passages leading to "dead" ends, some torture chambers and the remainder are safe passages out of the moutains. In the cave room, 25 men stood in a circle, while their leader stood in the middle, surveying them. He was a tall man with raven hair and still looked good for his age but his eyes, they were his best and yet his worst characteristic. They could become trusting but then, treacherous. They could become brown, normal human eyes and then they could turn into red slits, like a snake's; yes, Tom Riddle was a man of many surprises, many people wouldn't have dreamed that the quiet, former headboy of Hogwarts could turn into the man who would eventually destroy them all...Lord Voldemort.

"Well," he said coldly into the darkness, "any reports?"

"Yes Master, " came the voice of Severus Snape, "there will be a new DADA teacher at Hogwarts this year-"

"Well I hope it's another one of those Ministry fools." he interrupted.

"Unfortunately not, sir." said Snape.

"Well then, who is he?" he inquired.

"She, sir, is a Miss Alexandra Walker-Black." corrected Snape at this, gasps went around the room.

"Black?" spat Voldemort, "I didn't know you had other family, Bella."

"She's related to Lucius too, Master." squeaked Bellatrix.

Voldemort sat in his chair and pondered this name, Walker-Black.

"Oh, yes." he said, with a sick, twisted smile on his face.

"I remember," he said, "you killed her mother not too long ago, yes?"

They nodded.

"And what of the book?"

"She didn't tell us of it, sir." replied Lucius.

"Very well." he said, "Anymore business?"

"Yes, sir." said Lucius, "I'm sure you know that we have new members."

Voldemort nodded.

"My son, Draco, and a few of his friends," continued Lucius, "and also, a former student of Hogwarts."

"Who is he?"

"His name is Jason MacCartney, the grandson of Anna and Mikail Zambini."

"Ah, yes." said Voldemort, surveying the youth, "how old are you?"

"I'm 19 years old, sir." he said nervously.

"Hmm.." said Voldemort, looking away.

Lucius pulled the new recruit back into the circle, "Pull back on the hood and put your head down." he whispered.

"I will summon you for the next meeting, in the meantime, we have some research to do." he finished, as he gestured to Peter.

As the others left, Bellatrix, the one who was voted Voldemort's favourite person, was left to tell him this news.

"He knows the full prophecy, Master." she said quietly.

Voldemort's lip curled but he said nothing, Bellatirx quickly scampered away to find Peter.

Back at Number 12, Ron knocked at Hermione's door, after which, he was welcomed inside. Harry, Ginny, the twins, Tonks and Lupin's ears were glued onto the door, trying to hear what was going on inside. Ron sat on the armchair by the window, waiting on Hermione. He noticed that she was listening to her stereo. Soon enough, she was sitting on the bed opposite Ron and staring at him, waiting on who would say the first word. It was rather ironic that the song that was playing, actually depicted how Hermione was feeling.

"Listen to this song, Ron." she said softly.

I looked away
Then I look back at you
You try to say
The things that you can't undo
If I had my way
I'd never get over you
Today's the day
I pray that we make it through

Make it through the fall
Make it through it all

And I don't wanna fall to pieces
I just want to sit and stare at you
I don't want to talk about it
And I don't want a conversation
I just want to cry in front of you
I don't want to talk about it
Cuz I'm in Love With you

You're the only one,
I'd be with till the end
When I come undone
You bring me back again
Back under the stars
Back into your arms

Wanna know who you are
Wanna know where to start
I wanna know what this means

Wanna know how you feel
Wanna know what is real
I wanna know everything, everything

And I don't wanna fall to pieces
I just want to sit and stare at you
I don't want to talk about it
And I don't want a conversation
I just want to cry in front of you
I don't want to talk about it

I'm in love with you
Cuz i'm in love with you
I'm in love with you
I'm in love with you

Avril Lavigne - Fall to Pieces

At the end of the song, Ron was in tears as he said, "I love you too, Hermione."

With that, seeming as though, it was all she wanted to hear, she pulled him into a hug as though she would never let go and they kissed while they ignored the cheers and catcalls from outside the door.