CHAPTER TEN
You'll never be free, lamb to the slaughter, what you gonna do when there's blood in the water?
I do not own harry potter, that being said, please do not steal my writing lol
-o0o0o0o-
Time heals all wounds was what everyone told Sirius Black as he was grieving the loss of two people he loved.
He was in his thoughts as he sat with the rest of the family in the private living room at Potter Manor, Narcissa having just received a letter from Draco.
"So, what does it say?" Andromeda asked curiously. Narcissa smiled grimly.
"They have found another horcrux, and a house elf will be bringing it soon in a lead box." She answered simply.
"Another horcrux?" Lucius asked, brows furrowed. "What is it?"
"It's Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem." Her voice was saddened at such an artefact being defiled.
"Ravenclaw's diadem?" Sirius snorted in grim amusement. "I doubt she'd be pleased."
-o0o0o0o-
She wasn't. Her tirade and outrage at such an object, at her magical artefact left for her descendants was defiled in such a way had been going on for the past three hours.
Harry and friends had been listening to it for three hours too many. Even Salazar had grown out of his amusement and was beginning to loathe the whelp that spewed out of his descendants' loins even more than he already did.
Because he had subjected him to having to listen to Rowena blather on about disrespect, defiling, and dark magic.
"Rowena!" Helga finally exploded. "Can you, please, shut up!"
Harry wanted to kiss Helga Hufflepuff right then and there, and Salazar and Godric already did once Rowena stopped talking with a huff.
"Well, what are you going to do with it?" Fred asked Harry softly as they stared at the diadem glittering under the dim light of the chamber.
"I don't know," Harry admitted. He looked at Draco. "Do you think you could get Dobby to take it to Narcissa?"
"I think so," Draco said, before clearing his throat and saying, loudly, "Dobby!"
"Master Draco Malfoy bes calling Dobby?" The house elf said excitedly, looking at Draco with big, bulbous eyes.
"Yes, Dobby, can you please take this box to mother?" Draco asked kindly. Dobby smiled, eyes filling with tears.
"Yes, Dobby be doing that now." And the houself grabbed the lead box that held the diadem and disappeared with a pop.
-o0o0o0o-
As the year came to a close and exams were being done, Harry was having a magical portkey being made so they could travel and see Nathaira and the founders throughout the summer. Undetectable, so Dumbledore would never know.
Sirius was also having a twin portrait made to put up in the house so the founders could travel as they pleased. They were very happy and grateful to learn of that specific development. Nathaira opted to stay in Hogwarts, as it was her home.
"Harry?" Helga called out as he left the chamber to go onto his summer holiday.
"Yes, Lady Hufflepuff?" Harry asked politely. The founders laughed.
"How many times must we ask you to call us by our first names?" Rowena asked.
"A few more times, perhaps." Harry grinned cheekily.
"Hadrian," Salazar said softly. "We must ask of you something."
"Anything." He said. He meant it. Their guidance and wisdom was incredibly valuable.
"Do not lose your way, Harry." Godric said kindly. "We will aid you bring down this Monster, and we will guide you."
"But, remember who you are." Helga whispered. "Remember you are kind, and are more than just the boy destined to defeat the evil that is Lord Voldemort."
Harry had let his destiny guide him in ways he did not realise since he learned of the prophecy. But they were right. He nodded at them in gratitude.
"I swear it."
And he turned around, bidding goodbye.
Before he departed on the train, he and the twins happily let Hagrid know that Norbert was Norberta now, and that she was doing wonderfully.
Hagrid gave them a teary smile and hug, and watched as the scarlet train grew further and further away until he could no longer see it.
-o0o0o0o-
The summer was quite a boring one for Harry, as he was not being allowed out of the house. At all.
"But Sirius," Harry pouted. "It's unfair!"
"No," Sirius denied, though he felt bad for confining Harry to the home. "There has never been a breakout of Azkaban, Harry. Ever."
"I understand that, really, I do." Harry sighed. "But what's Pettigrew going to do?"
"Perhaps, oh, I don't know, get revenge for when you nearly killed him, Harry." Remus pointed out, not unkindly.
"I did not nearly kill him," Harry muttered under his breath.
"Yes, you did," Melania chimed in, coming in from the kitchen with butterbeers and finger sandwiches for snacks.
"But Grandma Melania," Harry pouted, making his eyes bigger and teary. "It's unfair! I should be spending my summer with my friends."
"And you are! The Slytherin and Gryffindor quidditch teams were here just yesterday." Arcturus chimed in.
"But..I meant spending time with them outside the Manor."
"It's not like there isn't plenty to do in the manor, Harry." Cassie sighed softly.
"But there's much more to do outside the manor." Harry said with a grin.
"Ah yes, such as getting attacked by Dementors?" Dora chimed in, walking inside from the floo, Pollux following behind her, looking livid.
"What do you mean?" Sirius demanded. "What dementors?"
"Fudge. That stupid idiotic bastard has let the dementors roam free, and are going to be at Hogwarts this school year." Dora griped, taking a large bite of her sandwich.
"That's-that's insane!" Harry jumped up, brows furrowed in anger and mouth open in shock. "Surely Dumbledore isn't that stupid–"
"Dumbledore agreed to it. Heartily, might I add." Pollux said, sitting down next to his niece and taking a large gulp of Ogden's firewhiskey.
"That idiotic bastard." Arcturus scoffed. "This is just going to be another strike against him when we make our move."
"We've been biding our time long enough!" Harry snapped, his nerves frayed and his anger coursing his veins.
"That's your inner Gryffindor talking. You cannot listen to it when it comes to Politics, Harry." Arcturus sighed. "I know you want to ruin him. We all do. But until recently he had been considered the next coming of Merlin. Only now are whispers arising."
"We must wait. Good things come to those who wait, Harry." Melania whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.
"Fine," Harry sighed. "But I'm not going to like it."
"We're not either, cub." Remus murmured softly.
"Dementors," Harry scoffed, shaking his head and walking away from the dining room. Sirius stared at his retreating figure with sadness, and shook his head, sighing.
"I wish there was more that I could do for him," He whispered to the family still sitting with him. "It seems no matter what I do, I fail him."
"No, you don't." Cassie murmured softly. "He loves you, Sirius. He's just a teenager now."
"A teenager with a lot to be angry about." Dora added. "It'll be okay. He'll understand that this is for his safety. Dementors are a nasty bunch of creatures."
"Let's hope he never has to experience that." Remus said softly, shaking his head.
Arcturus snorted. "It's Harry."
Remus sighed. "Fair point."
-o0o0o0o-
Harry was sitting in his room, completely bored. He walked toward his beloved snowy owl, Hedwig.
"Hey girl," he whispered, smiling softly as she nipped his finger in affection. "Can you send a letter for me?"
The owl hooted in approval.
Harry smiled, and began drafting a letter in his eloquently trained handwriting.
-o0o0o0o-
Daphne Greengrass was reading a book about Ancient Runes, as she had selected it for one of her electives and was doing some summer reading.
She was sitting at her dark, mahogany coloured desk in front of the full wall length window in her bedroom at Greengrass Manor when she heard a tapping on the window.
She saw it was Harry's owl and smiled as she let Hedwig in, and fed her some treats she has for her own owl on her bedside table.
"Hey Hedwig," She greeted softly. "You have a letter for me?"
Hedwig stuck her foot out in response and Daphne grabbed the letter. She unfolded the letter and began to read.
Dear Daphne,
I don't really know why I'm writing, but I can't think of anything else to do. It's mind-numbing being stuck at home for so long, though I suppose Sirius and the others are right in their worries. Peter Pettigrew has escaped Azkaban, a fact I'm sure will be in the Evening Edition of the Prophet tonight.
Fudge has let out the dementors as a result to search for him. And Dumbledore has allowed the dementors to be stationed at school. Don't tell anyone, as I'm sure it's a 'ministry secret' though your father probably knows by now.
I don't know what to do, Daph. It seems no matter what I do, something bad always happens. I always thought the good outweighed the bad, but now Pettigrew's out of Azkaban and could very well find a way to bring back Voldemort.
I never let myself feel the void of my parents. I have my family, and I'm thankful for that everyday. But I can't help but wonder what life would be like if they were still alive, and I feel guilty for it. Am I betraying Sirius and Remus? Am I betraying the others for thinking this way? I wouldn't trade them for the world, and I love them, but sometimes I just can't help it.
Anyway, enough about me and my brooding. How's your summer going? Astoria is going to join us at Hogwarts now, is she excited? Have your parents found any answer in the libraries or is the search still going? And, Daph, how are you?
I miss you,
Harry
Daphne sighed as she re-read Harry's letter. She wished she could have words of comfort for him, but her words were failing her, for once in her life.
Daphne has never felt so useless in her entire life, so she picked up her quill, and began to write, her words just spilling across the paper.
-o0o0o0o-
Harry picked up the letter that Hedwig brought him with a level of vague excitement he had not felt since the beginning of summer.
He tore open the impeccable green waxed seal and began to read Daphne's familiar penmanship and flourishes running across the parchment. He smiled.
Dear Harry,
I wish there was something I could say that would comfort you. But the reality of it is that I can't, and all I can do is let you know that we're all here for you. That I'm here for you. I understand staying cooped up at home is upsetting and you are probably going stir crazy, but it is for your safety. I would rather have a bored Harry than no Harry at all, and I'm sure your family would agree with me.
No, I don't think you're betraying your current family for wondering what might have been. I think it would be completely normal in your situation. They are your mother and father, whether they are alive or not. Sirius and Remus, or Narcissa and Andromeda are by no means trying to replace your parents. There is room for all of them in your heart. You can love one without betraying the love of the other.
Dementors are rather ghastly creatures and I would appreciate it if they stayed away from us thank you very much. We have enough problems and riddles to solve without adding soul sucking monsters into the mix of problems. I understand you feel at a loss. There will always be bad with good, Harry. Otherwise, how would we distinguish one from the other? There is no good without evil, and no love without loss.
As for me, I'm okay, thank you for asking. Mum and Dad are still searching, though we believe we may have found something if combined with a tome from the Black library and one with the Potter library. We still have to exhaust every possible resource, you and our friends have given my parents a good deal of homework Hadrian James Potter.
Astoria. Yes, she's coming to Hogwarts. Yes, she is incredibly excited, though I can't help but worry. What if her illness gets worse? What if magical exhaustion causes the malediction to speed up and I cannot do anything to stop it? I'm rambling, sorry.
I miss you too,
Daphne
-o0o0o0o-
Dear Hermione,
I know I've never written to you before and this must be strange, as we don't talk much privately. I just wanted to talk to someone who I felt wouldn't judge me. So, here I am.
My father has been more cruel as of late. And I already know you're making that sympathetic face where your lips frown and your brows furrow and you're looking at the parchment with big, brown, puppy dog eyes, stop it.
Hermione was, in fact, making that face and did, in fact, stop it as she continued reading the letter, her concern growing.
I don't know how much longer I can last here. Every nook and corner reminds me of the fact my father is either going insane or senile, maybe both. And every blankness and lack of warmth reminds me that my mother is no longer here.
How is your summer going? I heard you were going to France with your family. That sounds lovely. Do send me pictures.
Sincerely,
Theo
P.S. I miss you.
-o0o0o0o-
Dear Theo,
I'm so sorry that your summer is going the way it is. I wish I could help you. But it's not like I–a mudblood–can show up to a pureblood manor and whisk you away, though I wish I could.
Perhaps you can come stay with me over the rest of the summer? Or, are you going to stay at Harry's for the last month of summer like everyone else is? If not, please come.
The group isn't the same without you. I can come collect you if you'd like, or we can get Sirius to do it and scare your father into submission.
I've secretly bought some ingredients to make magical bruise paste, as I saw them in France. I will send you some if you need it. Please do not hesitate to come to my home if you need to. My door is always open for you.
My summer was good, thank you. France is beautiful, and I think I'm almost on the way to being fluent in French! Maybe we can converse sometime so I don't forget.
Sincerely, Hermione
P.S. I miss you too
Theo smiled softly as he ran his fingers along Hermione's writing, and folded the letter and put it in his box of treasured items. All things given to him by his mother and his friends.
-o0o0o0o-
Draco and Neville seemed to be in as much of a rut as Harry did as they arrived through the floo, shortly followed by the Weasley Twins, Blaise, Hermione and Theo. Daphne had arrived earlier in the morning, as it was now midday.
Harry noticed their words seemed to drag on and they would get lost in their thoughts more often than not. So, he stuck a silencing spell around his group of friends as they sat in their usual spot.
"What is going on with you two?" Harry asked, rather demandingly, but not unkindly.
"It's nothing," Neville said dismissively.
"Bullshite." Fred snorted, Neville glared. Fred smiled softly back.
"We're your friends, you can tell us." Daphne said softly.
"It's rather stupid," Draco murmured, his cheeks tinging pink.
"Out with it, then." Theo said, kicking his feet up on the small table in the centre of all the furniture. Harry rolled his eyes, and took Theo's feet off the table.
Theo promptly grinned, and propped his feet onto Harry's legs instead. Harry did nothing but pat him on the head with a good-natured eye roll.
"I think that something's wrong with me!" Draco snapped, his voice cracking and his eyes widened as he clutched his throat.
"Our voices are acting weird!" Neville exclaimed as he cringed at a voice crack of his own. Harry rolled his eyes.
"So is mine. So is Theo's, and Blaise."
"What's wrong with us?" Draco demanded, his voice sounding petulant. Hermione smothered a giggle as she tried to look at them with pity.
Her mirth and amusement shone through instead as she devolved into a laughing fit. Daphne following suit. Harry sighed, not knowing what they found so funny.
"What is it?" Neville demanded.
"You're going through puberty!" Hermione exclaimed between her laughter.
"Puber-what?" Draco repeated, bewildered and confused. Hermione and Daphne only exchanged one more glance between one another, before bursting into another fit of giggles.
-o0o0o0o-
The girls laughed about it well into dinner with the extended Potter-Black family.
"What is so funny?" Remus sighed, exasperatedly amused.
"Care to explain?" Sirius asked, quirking an eyebrow in Harry's direction.
Harry sighed.
"Draco and Neville seem to have discovered that they are, in fact, going through puberty."
Narcissa nearly choked on her wine as Dora began laughing uncontrollably, tears out of her eyes.
"Aunt Cissa, Aunt Alice, have you not given them the talk?" She asked between her laughs.
"The what?" Draco, Harry, and Neville demanded.
The twins began to shake in silent laughter, and Theo and Blaise were just as confused. Daphne and Hermione turned bright red in response to 'The Talk.'
"The talk!" Dora exclaimed, as if they were insane for not knowing. "When a man and woman-"
"Nymphadora!" Andromeda snapped, her own cheeks bright red. "That is not proper conversation at the dinner table."
"Sorry," Dora snorted, not at all sorry. Harry, Draco, Neville, Theo, and Blaise, were merely staring at the adults.
"When a man and a woman what?" Harry demanded.
Sirius and Remus merely looked away and began playing around with their food.
"When a man and a woman what!" Neville and Draco echoed.
"Oh hush now, boys." Frank said smiling. "We'll tell you later."
"Eat your peas." Lucius added.
"You boys are royally screwed." Arcturus snorted, taking a large sip of his red wine, specially from the Potter Vineyard.
a/n: some themes set up for when the kids go back to school! some letters sent back and forth for friendship and character development, and some lighthearted banter. I think we were a bit heavy and I want to remind everyone they are still just kids and do regular kid things along with solving mysteries and planning to kill dark lords. pleaaasee review, as reviews are what keep me motivated and wanting to continue writing. i've been in a rut lately, and hope this chapter will get me out. please tell me your thoughts.