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At noon the next day, the residents of Grimmauld Place found themselves waiting at Platform 9 ¾ for the return trip of the Hogwarts Express. Spread throughout the Platform were families of most of the students returning home for the summer.
"Oh, you're being such a good boy, Padfoot!" exclaimed Isolt, rubbing the top of the Animagus form of Sirius Black. Padfoot let out a happy bark in response, his eyes full of mirth and mischief. Laughing, Isolt turned to her other companion, Aster Potter, dressed in a lovely emerald green summer dress. They had spent a couple of hours this morning going over cosmetic charms for Aster to learn, and Isolt applied them, adjusting hair length, hair color, facial hair, and Aster's voice to the young wixen's preferred pitch.
"You excited to see your friends, Aster?"
"Of course! Can't wait to surprise them! Do you think they'll recognize me?"
"I have a feeling, Aster, that they'll be positively surprised, and overwhelmingly happy for you. Now, do you remember what we talked about this morning?"
For a brief moment, Aster's face hardened as she remembered how Isolt had told her that not every wixen was so welcoming of soul-swapped wixen. Nodding, Aster pushed her disappointment in people back behind her mask. "Of course," she carried on in the same jovial tone she had been using before Isolt's question.
"Good, now, I have a few appointments to keep today, but I should be back home by dinner time, alright?"
"Sounds good! Gives me time to work on my summer homework!"
Wrapping an arm around Aster in a sort of side-hug, Isolt chuckled. "And that studiousness, Aster, is what will probably surprise 'Mione and Ron the most."
Aster's eyes flicked up to glance at Isolt's face, and she could see the pain on the older wixen's face flash for a moment before disappearing. 'Looks like she's hurting more than I thought. Wonder if I can help her this summer?'
A loud train whistle broke Aster out of her thoughts, and a bright red train came to a stop at the platform. Over the next few minutes, students of all ages disembarked, eagerly looking for their loved ones. Those with at least one magical parent apparated or took portkeys right off the platform. The muggleborn students had to cross the barrier back to King's Cross to look for their escorts.
Pointing to a carriage near the front of the train, Isolt called out, "Ah there they are! Come along, Aster, Pads." The trio briskly walked up to Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, before either could reconnect with their parents.
Isolt padded Aster on the back, and nodded her head in the direction of the two students. Taking her cue, Aster ran up behind her friends and throwing an arm each over them, yelled out "Constant Vigilance, Granger, Weasley!"
The panicked pair, straightening their backs as they were grabbed from behind and their former professor's catchphrase being yelled at them, turned to look at their would-be-captor: a girl with shoulder length auburn hair, in an emerald green dress, sporting eyes of the same exact color as her dress, smirking at the two of them.
Hermione was the first to put the pieces of the puzzle together, squealing in delight and threw her arms in a hug around the 'mysterious' girl in front of her. This clued Ron in to the identity of the wixen, and he patted her back.
"Woah, blimey mate, didn't expect to see ya like this!"
"Ugh, honestly Ronald, maybe think before you say something like that!" Hermione retorted, giving him a slight knock upside the head.
Aster just laughed at her friend's antics. 'It's so good seeing them like this. Like everything's right with the world.'
"Ahem, before you two get carried away in another argument – don't look at me like that Ron, you know what I mean – I would like to formally invite the both of you to the Black Residence later this summer, for a couple of weeks, if that is alright with your folks?"
"You're not going back to the Dursley's, Aster?" Ron inquired, a glint of hope sparking in his eyes.
"Nope! Dumbledore isn't too pleased about that, but there's no better place to be protected than a place under the Fidelius that's also under Black Family wards. I swear, that lot is more paranoid than Mad-Eye!" Aster let out a laugh.
"And what about, you know, Padfoot's problem?" asked Hermione, who really sounded like she was trying to step on eggshells with her question.
"Don't worry about that. We've got a plan to get him off the hook. Hopefully, if all goes well, in a few weeks Padfoot's name will be cleared!"
"Well, if you say so. Is the witch here, too?"
"Yeah, she's over there." Pointing to Isolt, the young trio noticed that Isolt seemed to be in some conversation with a blond gentleman.
"Do you know who she is? I know you said she's a relative, but how come no one seemed to know of her before? How did she walk through that Veil?"
"Bloody hell, 'Mione, breath." Ron exclaimed, laughing at the young witch's habit of interrogation.
"I trust her with my life. I'll see if she'd be okay bringing you two into the loop, but we're all going to have to learn Occlumency before she'll tell you."
"But she told you?" Hermione whined.
"Well, yeah, but she's going to be working with me on Occlumency this week. I've already started it. Plus, she's my relative, so she kinda had to tell me some things." Aster shrugged. "Oh, she wanted me to give you two this!"
Aster reached into a pouch that hung from her neck, and Hermione noticed that she hadn't seen it before Aster grabbed it. Pulling out two books, Aster handed one to Ron and one to Hermione.
"These are copied versions of the book on Occlumency that I'm learning from. Isolt said that you'd both should probably learn this regardless."
"Mate, you're giving us summer homework? You're turning into Hermione." Ron threw his hands up in mock exasperation.
"Ronald Bilius Weasley, there's nothing wrong with reading material ahead of time." Cried Hermione.
"Look mate, I'm going to be doing a lot of studying this summer. I plan on dropping Divination next year and taking up Runes and Arithmancy." Aster stated. "Look, we've gotta go. Isolt has some appointments she needs to keep, but we'll keep in touch, yeah?"
"Of course, Aster. And before you go, you look very lovely." Hermione answered, a hint of a blush creeping up on her face.
Aster's face returned the blush, before she gave her two friends a hug and ran off back to Isolt, who had finished speaking to the blond wizard. Isolt nodded at Aster, grabbing a hold of her and of Padfoot before disappearing with a barely audible crack.
Ron and Hermione continued on their way, Hermione making sure to say hello to the Weasley's before she went to go find her own parents in Kings Cross.
After apparating Sirius and Aster back to Grimmauld Place, Isolt apparated to Diagon Alley, to head to Florean Fortescue's, to start off her first meeting of the day.
Approaching the shop, she saw a familiar face sitting at a table inside, with a lovely young witch with him. Walking in, she placed her order, two scoops of mint chocolate chip, and sat down at the table where Evan and Jamie Robinson were sat at, enjoying their own ice cream treats.
"Ah, Mr. Robinson, a pleasure to see you again, and in much better circumstances! And you must be Ms. Jamie Robinson! Your brother's told me so much about you!"
"Erm yeah, Jamie, this is Lady Peverell, the one I was telling you about?" Evan, who had looked collected before, now looked a nervous wreck.
"A pleasure to meet you, Lady Peverell. Thank you for helping my brother last night!"
"Think nothing of it, but let's hold off on the serious talk for now, at least until we've all got our ice cream." Isolt smiled warmly at the two. A few moments later, a server came by, giving Isolt her order, before scuttling off to check on another patron in the restaurant.
"Now that my ice cream is here," Isolt snapped her fingers, sending a privacy charm around their booth.
"That is very impressive magic, Lady Peverell!" Jamie exclaimed, nearly doe-eyed at the mere thrum of the magic around her.
"Why thank you! Now, to business. Mr. Robinson, as per our agreement, you have agreed to never knowingly harm, or bring harm, to House Peverell and those under my protection. As a gesture of my end of the bargain, I removed your… tattoo, and would like to offer the two of you a couple of options."
"And what are these options?"
"Well, the first one is the simplest: you both run away, leave the country, go to America or Australia, maybe even China. The Death Eaters don't do much, if any, recruiting outside of Europe, so you'd be relatively safe anywhere else."
Evan and Jamie Robinson both looked taken aback at this option.
"Well, I can see neither of you like that option. Tell me, what are your interests, what do you enjoy doing?"
"Wha-!? How does this help with our protection?" Evan exclaimed.
"Well, seeing as how neither of you want to leave the continent, least of all the country, I figure if I know what you both would like to do, or enjoy doing, we can use those skills to help others. For example, if either one of you enjoy the 'fine art of potioneering'," Isolt made sure to do her best Snape impression here, "then we can have you brew potions that could help heal people who get injured in the war against Voldemort – for fuck's sake Evan I thought I told you to stop flinching, see Jamie didn't flinch! Where was I? Oh yes, of course, if you were to do something like that, then obviously we'd put you both up in a safe house under the Fidelius, at least until this conflict is over."
"And what if we want nothing to do with the war?"
"That's fine. You can just lay low until it's all over, if you want. I'm curious, though: Jamie, what do you want?"
"Wha- me? Um, I just want us to be okay. We both just graduated Hogwarts, Evan two years ago and me last year, so we both have a few NEWTs."
"Hm. I have an idea, but all parties would have to agree, so I'd need to contact the Black Family, but would you both be amenable to joining me at the Black Family Residence?"
"You'd take us in?" Evan's eyes were nearly bulging out of his head. Everything was happening so fast, and seeking asylum with the Black Family was not something he'd ever thought he'd be doing.
"Of course. Your home situation is not ideal, and there's plenty of room where I'm at. I will have to confer with House Black first though. Do you both have somewhere safe to lay low, until I am able to send you a letter?"
Evan and Jamie looked at each other, having a silent conversation that only they seemed to be able to follow. 'Reminds me of me and my Ron.' Isolt thought, rather forlornly.
"We would be amenable to that, provided House Black is okay with this." Evan responded, nearly startling Isolt out of her thoughts.
"Perfect, well, seeing as I've finished my ice cream, and our business seems to be concluded, I will be on my way. Just wait for my owl, alright? Should only be a day or two."
Getting up, Isolt left the store, leaving the two Robinson's whispering to each other. Before she went out the door, she snapped her fingers again, cancelling the privacy charm.
Stepping out onto Diagon Alley, Isolt stretched her arms over her head, before muttering to herself, "Now, now I hunt a rat."
Isolt apparated back into Grimmauld Place, seeking out her younger self. Knocking on Aster's door, she waited a moment for Aster to open the door.
When the door opened, Isolt could see that Aster had several books open, and parchment was strewn about the room rather haphazardly. "Ah, good, you're doing your homework! Always hated that stuff, but you know, they don't give grades for just knowing the damn material, do they?" Isolt laughed.
"Yeah, it is rather boring, isn't it?" Aster chuckled. "Anyway, what can I do for you?"
"Yes, I need to borrow Dobby, if you don't mind."
"Of course not!" Aster entered the hallway, closing her door behind her. "Dobby, would you mind coming here for a moment?" Aster called out to the air.
With a pop, Dobby appeared, "Ah master Potter has called?"
"Dobby, I've told you to stop calling me that. Just call me Aster, please."
"Dobby be using proper titles!"
"Ugh, fine, just call me Lady Potter. Anyway, my friend here has a request, if that's alright?"
"Of course it is! A friend of Lady Potter is a friend of Dobby's!"
"Perfect, thank you so much, Dobby!" Isolt said, before continuing, "I need your help finding a certain rat. You remember the one that Ron Weasley had a few years back? Think you can find him and bring him here?"
"Oh yes! Dobby remembers how that rat's magic feels, Dobby be locating him right away."
"Well, that was easy. Five galleons says he's back before the end of the day, with the rat?" Isolt asked Aster.
"I have five galleons he'll be back within an hour, old lady."
"Oi, I'm only a few years older than you, you little shit!" Isolt cackled.
"Oh yeah, and how's retirement going? You playing bingo yet?" Aster laughed, enjoying the rise she was getting out of Isolt.
"Oh it's on, Potter. Just you watch." Isolt was enjoying this.
"It's Potter now? Any more emphasis on the 'P' and I'd be worried you're actually a Malfoy."
"As if that peacock could ever actually come back with an insult that didn't involve his father. I'll let you know when it's dinner time, I'll have your favorite: mushed up baby food and a bottle of formula."
Aster just gave Isolt a rather rude hand gesture, laughing and went back into her room.
Heading back to her room, Isolt decided it was time to crack down on some of her studies while she waited for Dobby to return with the rat Pettigrew. She did have to take the OWLs and NEWTs before the end of summer, after all. 'That is, if I'm still here by the end of summer.' Isolt sat at her desk, and stared at her arms for a few moments.
"No, not right now. I need to be strong, for Sirius, for Aster. Once their lives and freedom are secured, I'll get out of their hair. Though I won't go through the Veil this time – that didn't seem to work last time."
Taking out her books with a sigh, Isolt resorted to reading through them, flicking her holly wand and trying various charms, transfigurations, hexes, and curses as she came across them.
It was an hour later when Dobby reappeared in her room, holding a small cage with a rat inside of it.
"Ah, Dobby! Excellent timing! I see you got the rat. Where was he?"
"Ratman be hiding in the Shrieking Shack, Lady."
"Hm, wonder what he was doing there?" Flicking her wand, Isolt sent locking charms on the door to her room, and an anti-apparition ward on the room as well. 'Never hurts to be careful. Especially with how the damn rat escaped at the end of my third year.'
"Okay Dobby, you can let the rat out now. You're also free to leave."
"Of course Lady!" Dobby snapped his fingers, and the cage opened instantly. Another snap and Dobby had disappeared, but Isolt was more focused on the rat trying to scurry for the door.
Aiming her wand, Isolt case a wide area Stupefy, stunning the rat in its place. Once stunned, she cast Petrificus Totalus and Incarcerous on him, before levitating the rat down the stairs, determined to find Sirius, who was probably downstairs in the living room.
"Sirius, I got you a present!" She called as she opened the door to the living room. Sirius, for his part, was in the middle of cleaning the room, flicking his new wand to and fro over the entire room, removing dust, cobwebs, cleaning stains, the whole works.
"Aw, Isolt, you didn't need to get me anything!"
"Nah, don't worry. I just figured you'd like a "get out of jail, again, free" card. She levitated Pettigrew's body into the living room, dropping him rather unceremoniously on the couch.
"Oh Isolt, you really shouldn't have!" Muttered Sirius, the Black Madness taking root in his eyes.
"Remember Sirius, don't kill him. You do, and you'll end up right back in Azkaban. I have Andromeda coming over shortly, and this piece of evidence," the distaste in her mouth as she pointed to Pettigrew was easily heard by Sirius, "is the key to ensuring you get off, scot-free."
"Isolt, you should know that I've gotten several Scots off, for free."
"Really? You're making sexual jokes right now?"
"Seems appropriate to me. The pleasure I'm feeling at having Pettigrew in my grasp is second only to a certain excursion I made with Marlene McKinnon in a broom cupboard in seventh year."
Isolt made a show of gagging, but it was mostly in jest. "That settles it, I'm not leaving him alone with you."
It was at this point that Kreacher popped into the room.
"Filthy blood-traitor Black is at the door, requesting entrance."
"That must be Andromeda! Please, let her in and bring her here, Kreacher."
Kreacher popped away, muttering to himself about blood-traitors and runaway Blacks.
A moment later, Andromeda Tonks entered the room. She didn't even make it five feet into the room before she looked at who was on the couch, then at Sirius, and then finally at Isolt.
"Well, I guess this clears up your innocence, Sirius."
"Cousin Andy! So good to see you! Welcome back to Grimmauld Place. Can I get you anything? Tea, coffee, firewhiskey," pointing a thumb at the man on the couch, "Justice?"
Andromeda just sighed, rubbed her temples, and looked at Isolt. "Well, I'll start off with the coffee, but keep the firewhiskey nearby. You weren't kidding, Ms. Peverell. I most certainly do have my work cut out for me. Shall we get down to business?"
"Of course, Solicitor Tonks. Shall we discuss your pay first?"
Andromeda handed a manila folder to Isolt. "Standard legal contract: a certain percent of any monetary winnings we are able to get, in addition to an hourly fee."
"Sounds good to me. Sirius, you good with that?"
"Let me see the contract, but yeah. Though I do have one stipulation, Andy."
"Oh?"
"Reinstatement for you, your husband, and your children into the House Black."
"Are you in a position to give that, Siri?"
Sirius just grinned, and Andromeda had a feeling she'd regret asking that question.
"Of course, see, I happened to pick up some jewelry the other day…" He flashed the House Black ring.
"Oh Merlin save us, if you're the Head of House Black, Sirius." Andromeda sighed. "Isolt, if you'd be a dear and grab the firewhiskey, I have a feeling I'll need it sooner rather than later."
Summoning the bottle, Isolt placed it on the coffee table in the room.
"One bottle of firewhiskey, ready for whenever you need it, Ma'am." Isolt gave Andromeda a cheeky grin.
"This is going to be a long night…"
"Oh come on, Andy, this'll be fun. We have the biggest evidence of the century right here."
Andromeda didn't respond. Instead, she opened the bottle of firewhiskey and downed a mouthful or two before looking at Isolt and Sirius.
"Let's get started, then, shall we?"