Hey! This one's coming an hour or so earlier than usual because, to be honest, I'm sleepy and won't be on my computer by midnight, so here it is! Hope you like it. Even more bombs coming...
Chapter 25. A. N. D. B.
In the end, the stress of all the revelations had just been too much for Naoko and she'd fallen unconscious in Long's arms, who had then secured the diary, taken his girlfriend's bag, and carried her to the Sorcerers' Room. While the group had gone back to their own dorms at one point, they would still spend some nights in their rooms at those particular apartments, especially when they wanted to be away from the Houses for one reason or another.
The next day no one saw Naoko at all, as she spent it locked inside her own room, refusing to open the door to anyone at all, even Sakura or Tomoyo; she just told them she wasn't feeling alright and didn't want to explain anything. Respectful of her wishes Long didn't say anything either, no matter how many times everyone asked.
By Tuesday Naoko was around again, though she looked like little more than a zombie, she didn't talk and wouldn't look anyone in the eye. So many people worried about her, so many people cared about her. She only told them that she was dealing with something, something she had to deal with by herself. In the end she promised to explain in a few days, after she'd processed it all herself, and it was only with that promise that she managed to get the other Sorcerers to stop hovering all the time.
By Friday evening Long was beginning to worry that things might be worse than he'd first thought, when unexpectedly his girlfriend met him on the hallway.
"Would you come with me?" She asked softly, without actually looking at him.
"Is everything alright?" He couldn't help but ask, he was really worried.
"Just come with me, please." Naoko insisted.
Long did as asked and followed the young sprite to her room in the Sorcerers' Apartments. Unlike the Houses' Towers, in their apartments there weren't any boy or girl dorms, they each had their own room, though some had connecting rooms: like Harry and Hermione, and then there were Sakura and Shaoran who had been sharing a room since their return from China (they were the only ones who hadn't gone back to their dorms after the break); some also believed that Tomoyo and Eriol might be sharing a room every other night, but no comment had been made about that.
They entered the spacious room, which was decorated with a mix of western and eastern styles, Long believed it was a way of acknowledging the culture of her birth as well as the one she'd been raised in. There was an elegant desk with a chair, a couple of bookshelves, a vanity with a half-body sized mirror, and a huge canopy bed with a nightstand on each side; on one of those was a nightlight, a glass of water and the diary the two had been reading through the previous Sunday.
The girl went to sit on the bed, silently, while her boyfriend tried his best to be understanding and patient, it was going very well for him.
"Naoko, are you alright?" Long asked yet again.
"I will be." She answered softly after a few seconds.
There was silence for a bit, before she took the diary and opened it to the last page, one Long didn't remember seeing on Sunday.
"You know, we didn't actually reach the end of the diary that night." Naoko commented.
"You were stressed out enough with everything we'd learnt already." Long pointed out. "You were in no condition to read, or hear anything else."
"I know." Naoko admitted, before offering the diary to him. "I read it last night…it explains so much…the last entry wasn't actually written by my mom, my birthmother I mean, it was written by Sachiko-kaa-san. Read it and you'll understand."
Long took the offered object and immediately began reading the last entry:
My name is Yanagisawa Sachiko, and I'm writing this for the girl who I have the pleasure of calling my daughter now. I met Natasha a few years ago, I thought she was a nice girl, if a bit odd; it seemed at times as if she'd lived under a rock for years, considering how many things apparently surprised her. It wasn't until very recently that I came to realize she didn't really live under a rock, not literally at least, but she might as well have. While that Wizarding World she told us about sounds amazing, civil war aside, I cannot understand why they would not at least try to understand us non-magicals better; isn't it better to hide in plain sight?
In any case, my dearest Naoko, if you're reading this it means either you're now eighteen, or I passed away before you reached that age. If it was the second then I probably never had the chance to explain to you how you were adopted, and why, and for that I'm very sorry. But I hope that's not the case, that I got the chance to explain everything, mainly how I love you as if you were my own, blood ties or not. You're the best gift Kenji-koi and I could have ever gotten. When we got married and moved to the United Kingdom in search of better opportunities we had so many dreams…most of which went unfulfilled, including, it seemed, my dream of being a mother. I'm barren, I will never be able to have a child, which is why when Natasha offered to make us your parents I couldn't help but cry…my Naoko…my precious gift. I know I will never be able to take your mom's place, nor do I want to. I hope you have enough love in your heart for both of us, as well as both your fathers…
In any case, this diary is about you getting to know your mom, and maybe your dad too in a way. So I decided to write what I know of what happened after she left you with us. It's not much, but it's all I know.
Kenji and I left London and took a ferry to France two weeks after Natasha left you with us, laying low all those days, hoping that whoever was after your mother wouldn't find us, wouldn't take you away. Natasha had already told us that if we didn't hear anything from her for a week we were to assume the worse and make plans to get away, as far as possible. Of course, we immediately decided to return to Japan, Kenji-koi's parents died recently and he inherited the house, so we will have a place to live. Natasha insisted on arranging an account on our name, so we wouldn't have any economical trouble. Kenji will be able to get a job he actually likes, without being pressured because he needs the money, while I would like to be a housewife, focus on raising you and tending to the house, at least for a couple of years, before finding a job myself.
The week passed, and we heard nothing from Natasha, yet I insisted we wait one more week, just in case. As much as I loved, and still love, the idea of having you as a daughter, my dearest Naoko, I didn't want to take you away from your mom unless it was absolutely necessary.
Things were crazy for two weeks, until the day my Kenji arrived to our room, we'd been renting a hotel room since making all the arrangements to leave London, and Europe, he looked almost hysterical, told me he went to a few pubs, hoping to get some news about what had been of our friend, someone saw him asking questions, and got interested. Now Kenji is going insane with worry, we fears that the very people Natasha was trying to hide you from might have noticed him, that they might come after us now. It's why we decided not to wait anymore, we just took our things, signed out and left in the first transport available.
Our plan is to take the train to Italy or maybe Germany, with all the money Natasha deposited on our accounts we can afford it. I just hope that traveling like this will help keep anyone who might wish us harm off our trail. Eventually we'll take a plane to China, and from there a ship to Japan, where we hope to begin a new life.
I'm sorry, my dear child, I'm sorry I cannot tell you anything more about your mom, or your dad, the only thing I can say is that I tried, both Kenji and I did, all we wanted was to protect you. I know Natasha loved you dearly, and I believe your dad must have as well; and we do too. You are our dearest Naoko, and always will be.
Your kaa-san, Yanagisawa Sachiko.
Long did his best to process everything he'd just read. While it didn't add much to what they'd discovered the week before, in a way it seemed to confirm their fears that Naoko's parents were, in fact, dead. It also explained why she hadn't been told anything at all until she began displaying magic. Then there was the spell they had learnt before that Natasha had used on Naoko, which would make it so, even if anyone had known her when she was a baby they wouldn't be able to recognize her…not even family…
"Family!" Long cried out as he suddenly realized something.
A couple of feet away from him, Naoko nodded.
"Sonomi-san is my aunt, Tomoyo-chan is my cousin." Naoko qualified. "Neville and Harry… well, I guess they were too young to remember me anyway, but there are others."
"Others?" Long asked, a bit hesitantly.
He had a feeling he was in for a shock, which wouldn't surprise him any (pun intended) considering everything that he'd learnt already.
"This was inside the diary." Naoko explained as she took a piece of folded parchment and offered it to her boyfriend. "It's my birth certificate."
Long took it and unfolded it, and what he found there shocked him more than he could have ever believed was possible…
Child's Name: Naoko Arianna Black
Date of Birth: October 11th, 1979
Place of Birth: St. Mungo's, London, England.
Blood Status: Pureblood.
Parents: Sirius Orion Black, Heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black and Alyssa Natasha [Dumbledore] Black, Heiress of the Noble and Ancient House of Dumbledore and Wife of the Heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.
Grandparents: Orion Arcturus Black, of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black (deceased) and Walburga Black, of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Head of the Noble and Ancient House of Dumbledore and Natalia Minerva [Ross] Dumbledore of the Noble and Ancient Houses of Ross and Dumbledore (deceased).
Godparents: Lord James Adrian Potter, Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter and Lady Lily Elizabeth [Evans] Potter, Wife and Consort of the Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter.
"But this…this means…" Long had no words to express himself.
"That my whole life has been a lie." Naoko deadpanned.
"Maybe, not really." Long tried his best to focus, as he needed to help his girlfriend. "I think what you should be focusing on is: you have living family!"
It took a second, but finally Naoko caught up with him.
"I have living family!" She cried out ecstatic.
Suddenly it no longer mattered if so much had changed with such revelations, if she had lost her parents, if so much had been kept from her for most of her life…she had family, relatives that were still alive!
.-.
Severus and Sonomi were the last to arrive to the meeting that had been unexpectedly called by Naoko at the Sorcerers' Common Room, they were also the only adults there, as all the others were the team of sorcerers and half-sorcerer (Ron).
Severus in particular was still looking a bit worse for wear after the latest Death Eater meeting he had attended. Regardless of how much everyone, especially Sonomi and Long, and even Dumbledore, insisted that he didn't need to keep spying, that it was dangerous, the man insisted on doing what he declared was his duty, his penance for mistakes made when he was a teenager and under peer pressure. It was lucky that his barely manageable survival after the Hope Spell made it so there was a lot Voldemort didn't actually remember of that battle, or even a period of time prior of it; it made them think that he most likely didn't remember when Severus had been uncovered as a traitor. And since all the others who knew were in Azkaban, the Potion's Master was safe, at least for the time being. Still, the so-called Dark Lord had never been known for treating his followers much better than his enemies, and sometimes Severus would end up on the wrong end of the psychos wand for no reason at all.
Sonomi didn't like that, more than that, she downright hated seeing the man she loved in so much pain, but he was stubborn, and refused to stand down, so there was little she could do but be there for him as much as possible.
Originally Long had suggested calling only the teens to that meeting, since he and Naoko agreed they should be the first to learn of what had been discovered about the young sprite's birth and parentage; however, Naoko knew Sonomi was family, and didn't feel it was right to leave her out, and with Sonomi came Severus, even if those two weren't married just yet, no one doubted they would be at some point, and it was a happy note on a time when so much seemed to be either in ruin or in danger of falling into exactly that.
Several minutes passed, before everyone present realized no one else would be arriving, and as one they all turned to the two people to have called for that meeting in the first place.
With a deep breath and a last encouraging touch from her boyfriend, Naoko got on her feet, before all of those she considered her closest friends and family, even before the recent revelations, and tried to explain herself.
"I know many, if not all of you, noticed there was something strange going on with me the last week." Naoko began hesitantly. "I know I worried you with my attitude, and my refusal to give any explanation whatsoever, but the thing is, there were things I had to deal with. Some I dealt with on my own, with others Ryuu-kun has proven to be invaluable help, he's been my anchor and one of the people I hold and will ever hold dearest in this life." She turned to him. "Thank you, Ryuu-koi…"
Realizing the importance of the suffix Naoko was using to address him Long got on his feet, held his girlfriend with one arm before kissing her hair softly. In a different time, no one would have expected him to ever do something like that, to ever be able to express or even feel so much for someone, anyone at all; but then again, in a different time, he would have never been able to be a part of such an amazing group…he would never be able to thank the spirits enough that the very girl in his arms in that moment was able to talk sense into him when he was so close to falling into the darkest pit ever…
"As I was saying." Naoko went on after taking a deep breath. "I know I worried you, and I'm sorry, I'm here to explain everything and when I do I hoped you'll understand why it was so hard for me to deal with it all." She took the diary from a nearby table." During the Winter Break, while I spent most of the time in China, I took off for Japan for a weekend, I went to see my adoptive parents, the Yanagisawas, and they gave me this." She signaled to the diary. "It's a diary, it belonged to my birthmother, she left it with kaa-san at the same time she left me, for my own protection. It was to be given to me when I turned off-age, which as far as kaa-san and tou-san are concerned, was last October…being non-magicals they view a child being off-age at eighteen and not seventeen." She shook her head but went on. "Anyway, for the longest time I had wondered so much about who my birthparents were, if they were alive, if I had any family left, why they even left me. I learnt that and a lot more through this diary. Long was with me when I read most of it last weekend, it was why I acted like I did."
"Was it that bad?" Tomoyo couldn't help but ask, truly concerned about her friend.
Naoko watched Tomoyo silently for a moment, reminding herself of what she'd learnt, of what she'd been almost too blinded by shock to realize.
"No, not really." Naoko admitted after a few seconds. "Just shocking, very shocking…"
"So, your name isn't Naoko then?" Ron asked, brow furrowed, wondering if he was going to have to get used to calling yet another person by a different name.
"Actually, Naoko is my birth-name." Naoko declared with a smile. "Mum wrote in her diary that dad chose it, she gave me my middle-name…"
In the couch, Sonomi's face was the picture of concentration, she knew there was something she knew, or should know, she just couldn't lay her finger on it.
"My mum actually left me with kaa-san and tou-san to protect me." Naoko added. "They were after her, it was shortly after Halloween 1981…"
No one needed her to explain more about events after that, they all knew perfectly well what had happened that awful Halloween, and in the week that had followed.
"At the end of the diary I found this." Naoko went on as she waved a piece of parchment. "It's my birth certificate."
"And…" Hermione's eyes were narrowed as well.
Many knew that what Naoko was about to tell them was important, very much so, even if none of them had the slightest idea of why it was important exactly.
"My full birth-name is Naoko Arianna Black." Naoko finally blurted out.
She was so afraid, wondering how they were all going to react, she had known she had to tell them the truth and yet had no idea how to. She didn't even know how to explain what was that made her a Black exactly, who her parents were…she didn't realize in that moment that it really wasn't necessary anymore.
Sonomi's loud gasp brought everyone out of their reverie, Naoko included. They turned to find the woman covering her mouth with both hands, her whole body trembling almost violently as tears fall endlessly from her blue-gray eyes and hard drowned sobs can be heard even though she seems to be trying her best to hold them back.
"Naoko-chan…" Sonomi whispered brokenly.
Her address only confused the teenagers even more, except for two of them who knew the whole truth already.
"Kaa-san?" Tomoyo asked, not understanding what was going on.
Sonomi didn't answer her, instead she got on her feet and rushed to the young blue-eyed brunette that was standing in front of them all; the mahogany-haired woman embraced the girl as tight as she could, crying and sobbing and refusing to let go.
"You're alive…you're alive…" she kept saying over and over. "Oh, thank the heavens..."
"What is going on here?" Shaoran asked, not understanding anything.
"Black?" Sakura asked right then, before she turned to Tomoyo. "Wasn't your dad's family name Black, Tomoyo-chan?"
Realization lighted Tomoyo's eyes, Naoko was family! And yet, she didn't realize yet just how close they might be.
Eventually Sonomi broke her embrace, though she didn't let go of the girl completely, almost feeling that if she did she wouldn't see her again.
"I…I cannot understand…why didn't I realize it before?" Sonomi asked, confused and half-irritated with herself.
"You weren't meant to." Naoko answered simply. "Mum used a special spell on me, to hide me in plain sight; as long as I didn't want others to know who I was they wouldn't know, even if they'd known me when I was a baby, before I was taken by the Yanagisawas."
"Kaa-san?" Tomoyo asked yet again, hoping to get an answer.
"Naoko-chan is your cousin Tomoyo-chan." Sonomi explained softly, very emotional at the encounter. "Daniel, your father, was her uncle, her dad's brother…"
It took a couple of seconds, but finally everyone seemed to catch up with the relations Sonomi was alluding to, and they all were equally confused and shocked.
"But…but dad only had one brother…" Tomoyo muttered, not quite believing it yet.
"That's right." Sonomi nodded, before turning slightly to see Harry. "Naoko-chan's dad is Sirius Black…"
For a few seconds silence was absolute; then, as if a switch had been turned, Tomoyo and Harry were upon the girl as well. It never crossed their minds to doubt what they were being told, not in the slightest. Naoko was Naoko Arianna Black, she was Sonomi's niece, Tomoyo's cousin, and as good as the same for Harry…
Once they had all calmed down enough Naoko's birth-certificate was passed around, and they could all see that not only Naoko's father was Harry's godfather, but Harry's own parents had been her godparents.
Then Naoko told them some of the things they had found out, like her connection with Neville, because her parents had been his godparents, the fact that Alice Longbottom had been her mom's best friend. Sonomi had some memories to share as well, about the time she'd gotten together with Daniel, the summer before his seventh year, right after he turned seventeen…the times she'd met Sirius and the other Marauders, and when she'd known Sirius's wife: Natasha.
The reunion of sorts probably could have lasted the whole day, but Eriol instead chose to point something out.
"Guys, I don't know if you've noticed this or not." He said seriously, the birth-certificate in his hand. "But you aren't Naoko-san's only living family."
It was true, there was one other person that had yet to be informed, and he deserved to know as well: Naoko's grandfather…
.-.
Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall were understandably surprised when being interrupted as they had lunch in their private sitting room. Lunch had been over for a couple of hours, and since it was a rare day when neither of them had any work, they had decided to enjoy their leisure time together in private.
What many in Hogwarts, and Wizarding Britain in general suspected but very few actually knew was that there truly was a relationship between Albus and Minerva, a romantic relationship, it had existed since the times of the first war against Voldemort, shortly after she had become Deputy Headmistress, which had allowed Albus to get to know her as more than just another of the professors. The two hadn't married, neither did they intend to do so, it wasn't like Minerva was in an age when she could have children that risked being seen as bastards if she didn't have a husband, and it wasn't like a piece of paper or a change in surnames would actually change anything about them, about their relationship, so they had decided to leave things like that and just be together.
They always spent the breaks of school together, either at the old Dumbledore State or a cottage McGonagall had in the Highlands. However, during the actual school-year they both had so much to do, as the running of Hogwarts depended on both of them, that they rarely really had the chance to spend some time together. That particular Saturday afternoon was one such exception. That was, at least, until a patronus that looked like a young very beautiful woman in an old elegant dress, which they knew belonged to Professor Eriol Hiiragizawa interrupted their time with an unexpected message.
"My apologies if I interrupted anything Albus, but my friends and I would like to talk to you." Eriol's voice sounded, as always, calm and polite, though there was also a hint of urgency behind it. "While I assure you nothing grave has happened, what we would like to discuss is of great importance."
Albus turned to Minerva, waiting for her opinion on the matter, she just nodded and motioned for him to answer. The Deputy Headmistress knew Eriol; and there was also the fact that he was one of the very few who knew about the older wizard's and witch's relationship and wouldn't interrupt their time together if it wasn't absolutely important.
Just a handful of minutes later there was a knock on a door, which very few people knew existed, behind the tapestry at the back of the Headmaster's office, it lead to that small sitting room. After permission was verbally given the door opened and the group of Sorcerers, Half-Sorcerer, Sprite, as well as Sonomi and Severus entered the room.
While Albus and Minerva had been expecting some of them, they certainly hadn't been expecting all of them to appear at the same time, and weren't sure what to make of it. There was silence for a few seconds, and then yet another surprise for the leaders of Hogwarts, when instead of Eriol giving the explanation for their presence, it was Naoko who stepped forward.
"Dumbledore-dono, McGonagall-sensei." Naoko greeted them respectfully with a short bow. "I'm sorry that we interrupted your free time, and while it is true it was Eriol-san who asked for this meeting, it was for me that he did that."
Dumbledore nodded, waiting for the girl to go on.
"I don't know if either of you are aware of this, but I am adopted." Naoko tried to keep things short and to the point, and to stop herself from showing her nervousness at the possible reaction of the two before her. "I had learnt, indirectly, that at least one of my birth-parents hailed from these lands, but it wasn't until shortly before our return from Asia that I was actually handed something that allowed me to learn who my parents are…or were. A diary was given to me, my birth-mother's diary, left in the care of my adopted parents until I was off-age. I've read it, and I've learnt so much…I shared it with my friends, earlier today, since some of my findings in it affect them. And now I'm here, for the very same reason."
"You think your findings will affect us Miss Yanagisawa?" Minerva inquired, not quite understanding what was going on exactly.
For all answer Naoko showed them the diary, both of the older magicals' eyes immediately strayed to the letters engraved in the side of the tome, though only one realized what they meant, and his eyes widened at the implications.
"You…" Albus's voice seemed to be gone.
The aged wizard got on his feet, and then didn't dare to get any closer, he just kept looking at Naoko's face and the diary in her hand over and over again, as if trying to convince himself he wasn't imagining either.
"I…I don't…" He really didn't seem to know what to say.
"Albus?" Minerva called as she stood beside him, worried about what may be going on.
"You need to say it, out loud Naoko-san." Eriol instructed her softly. "He won't fully understand what it is his instincts are screaming at him until you do, the spell won't allow him to know it until you acknowledge the truth yourself before him, before them."
Naoko nodded, a part of her feeling marveled at the complexity and the effectiveness of the spell her mother had created, along with Harry's, to protect them; even if in the end she was the only one to benefit from it.
"My name is Naoko Arianna Yanagisawa-Black." The brunette intoned in a soft yet powerful voice, as she acknowledged her past as well as her present. "I am the daughter of Sirius Orion Black, and Alyssa Natasha Dumbledore Black…"
So, who saw that one coming? I doubt many did. But it was part of the plan from the very beginning. Also, for those who may complain about Albus's and Minerva's relationship, or his previous marriage, particularly those who are likely who want to remind me he's gay...I have nothing against it, I just didn't know that when this fic was planned and begun, and since Naoko was meant to be his granddaughter, I couldn't change it later. Besides, I happen to like the Albus/Minerva pairing.
For the next chapter: Advances are made on 'The Plan', some serious conversations concerning family lines, and a particular conversation between two people will reveal things about a third some readers have been asking me about...(not giving names, it would give away the plot!)
See ya in two weeks people!
And please don't forget to review.
P.S. I'm looking for a fic, if anyone can help me find it. It's an HP/CCS crossover, where Sakura arrives to Hogwarts very little, about seven I think, she's sort-of fostered in the castle and eventually ends up like a sort-of student (during the trio's first year) she ends up involved in a lot of stuff, and at the same time she becomes a Card Captor. I read it once, but haven't been able to find it again. If anyone can help me locate it, or at least give me the name so I can search for it more effectively, I would be glad.
See ya!
