Author note: I'd apologise for the late update but at this point, you all must just be expecting it!

I'm blaming the fact that after 2 years I finally managed to go and catch COVID and its not amazing (vaccinated tho so I'm feeling not too bad)

Hope this does an alright job of helping 'RAB's sanity - and thank you for your lovely review (you signed in as a guest so I couldn't reply)

Initially this had more parts but it was getting long and I wanted to upload something so I chopped it in half.

Enjoy, :) xx

Neville couldn't sleep.

He had tried to say goodnight to Ebony on their necklaces over two hours ago yet he still had no response. The logical thing would be that she was already asleep or that maybe she had taken it off but he just couldn't shake the feeling that something had happened.

She was usually very good at responding - especially when she was at home.

So now Neville was lying wide awake, sticky from the July humidity and with an anxious knot writhing in his stomach.

He desperately wanted to write to ask if she was ok but he knew that if she were caught that would just make things worse. He had no other way of contacting her.

Then there was a small tapping at the window. Neville sat up in his bed and looked out of the glass. On the windowsill was the tiniest owl he had seen. He quickly opened the window wider than it was already.

The owl zoomed into the room, did a couple of laps and then dropped a letter into his lap. Neville tore it open.

Hey Neville,

I don't want to scare you but I thought you ought to know - Ebony showed up tonight.

I guess something happened with her mum and dad but I'm not really sure because she wasn't in a state to tell us. It's bad, really bad. She's alright now - Professor Lupin got Madam Pomfrey to have a look at her but it really wasn't pretty.

She's safe now though and I'll talk to my dad in the morning about getting you to come here, I think she really needs you right now.

But for now, she's sleeping so that's something.

Hope you get some sleep,

Ginny

P.s we arent at the Burrow in case you were wondering - it's a long story.

Neville didn't know whether it was worse worrying if something had happened to Ebony or knowing something had.

She'd left.

She'd got away.

But at what cost?

What did 'really bad' mean?

He quickly closed the window to stop the little owl from leaving and jumped to his desk, rummaging in his drawer for a quill and ink. Despite the hundreds of questions whirring around in his head, he found himself struggling to know what to say. He was already imagining every worst-case scenario.

Dear Ginny,

Thank you for writing to me. I can come as soon as you can organise it.

Look after her for me.

Neville

It was a rather pathetic letter that ended up with an ink splat on the bottom corner as Trevor decided to investigate what was going on.

Neville attached the letter to the tiny owl and he flew off with several loud hoots.

It was after the letter was sent off that he realised how hard his heart was hammering.

After all this time, what had been the thing that made her leave?

He was happy in a way, Ebony might finally be looked after and loved the way she deserved. But he just dreaded to think what she had to endure to get it.

Neville decided to give up on sleeping. He pulled on his boots and pulled a shirt on over his vest. "You coming?" he asked Trevor, holding his hand out. The toad croaked and jumped onto his hand. He crept down the stairs and out the back door to the greenhouse, seeking comfort in his leafy friends.

Ebony would be alright, he told himself, she always was.

...

Ebony didn't know what time it was when she woke up. Every inch of her was covered in a dull ache and she debated just rolling over and going back to sleep. She'd probably missed breakfast anyway.

Her eyes opened and she looked up at the ceiling. Which didn't look like her bedroom ceiling at all.

Realization shot through her like a curse.

She wasn't at home.

She left last night.

Ebony scrunched up her face as she remembered the previous evening's events.

The ball.

Her Father's study.

The letter.

Her Mother's rage.

The rain.

The door of Grimmauld Place.

Sirius.

Ginny?

Madam Pomfrey?

The latter part of the evening was little more than a blur.

She reached up and sleepily rubbed her face, wincing when the movement cause her forearm to sting. She looked at it and saw a bandage with spots of red.

Her Mother's dagger.

She tugged the sleeve over it and clutched it to her chest.

There were so many parts she wished she didn't remember.

Ebony heard a door and then some footsteps padding towards her.

It was Ginny. Ebony thought she had vague memories of seeing her last night. She cringed at the thought of Ginny seeing her like that - she hadn't really wanted anyone to see her like that.

Her friend sat down on the floor by her head.

"Hi." Ebony's throat was dry and hoarse.

"Hi, how are you feeling?" Ginny's freckled forehead was creased with concern.

Ebony grunted as she turned more onto her side. "I feel like someone threw me off the astronomy tower. Twice."

"That good?"

Ebony laughed and then winced as the action made her ribs ache.

"I'm sorry," she breathed and Ginny frowned.

"Why are you sorry?"

"I didn't mean to scare you like that. You shouldn't have had to see that."

Ginny looked at her in disbelief. "You shouldn't have had to go through that!"

Ebony didn't respond, she didn't know how to. Ginny seemed to not know what to say either.

"Do you know where my trunk is?" She asked, wanting to move the conversation on.

"Yeah, it's just in the corner."

"Can you get the dark brown box out of it please?"

She watched Ginny crawl over to the trunk and fumble through until she found what she was looking for.

"Steal had to steal my pyjamas though didn't you?" She said with a smile as she handed the box over.

"I'll amend my packing list next time I leave home in the middle of the night," Ebony said it with a small laugh but Ginny still looked a little uneasy.

In truth, Ebony didn't really pack at all. Most of her school stuff had stayed in her trunk and she'd only had the strength to gather the items she considered valuable to her - clothes hadn't made the cut, unfortunately.

Ebony turned the box over in her hands and muttered 'jammy dodgers', watching the latch twist open. Her necklace from Neville was sat at the top of the pile of Sirius' letters. She instantly picked it up and squeezed, waiting a couple of seconds before she felt the familiar soft buzz in her hand. Ebony let out a soft sigh.

"What's that?"

Ebony lifted the necklace and dangled it for Ginny to see. "Neville gave me it."

"It's beautiful."

"Press it, between your fingers."

Ginny frowned a little but still squeezed the metal between her fingers, eyes widening when it buzzed.

"That's him," Ebony said. "It's how we can talk to each other. We press it three times before we go to sleep."

"Well, that is just adorable." Ebony smiled. Ginny looked as though there was something else she wanted to say but she hesitated.

"Ginny, what is it?"

"I wrote to Neville," she admitted "Told him you arrived here last night."

"Why would you...he's just going to worry now..." Ebony hoped that she could just see him again in September and play the whole night off as better than it had been.

"Wouldnt you want to know if it was him not you?"

Ginny Weasley - always right.

Ebony responded with a sigh.

"Don't you want to see him?"

Ebony wanted to see him more than anything. She wanted to feel safe the way she always did with him. She wanted to see his smile, hear his laugh.

She just didn't want him to see her.

Not like this.

"I...I just..."

"He'll just want to make sure you're okay. Besides, I don't think anyone could stop him now he knows."

Ebony closed her eyes. She wanted Neville but she didn't want to see the look on his face when he saw her. She had no idea what she currently looked like but if she looked half as bad as she felt then he would most certainly be wearing the look of concern that she hated so much.

"I guess I'd like to see him."

There was also now going to have to be the conversation where she explained, 'surprise, i've been talking to Sirius Black for nearly two years without telling you'. Ebony was quite tired of talking already.

"I'll go tell everyone that you are awake."

Ginny made to stand up and leave but Ebony weakly caught her wrist. "No." Ginny paused. "I don't want to see anyone else right now. A few more minutes before the interrogations begin?"

Ginny looked like she wanted to argue but she caved and sat back down, holding one of Ebony's hands in her own.

...

Dumbledore had called in at Grimmauld place to discuss the previous night's events. Most of the order was at work so it was just Sirius, Remus, Moody, Madam Pomfrey and Mrs Weasley.

"Are we sure that we can trust her?"

"Really, Moody?" Sirius said, rolling his eyes.

"All I'm saying is we all know who her parents are, dealt with them many a time. I just want to be certain she was not sent here as a spy."

Sirius couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Trust me," he scoffed, "the state she was in last night makes me pretty confident that she is not a fucking spy."

"Language," Mrs Weasley tutted. Sirius huffed, was he not allowed to swear in his own house now?

"I'm just saying that we need to rule out every possibility, constant vigilance!" Moody's magical eye was spinning around in his head as he spoke. Sirius leant back in his chair and laughed. The notion that Ebony was on some spy mission for her parents was completely ludicrous.

"I appreciate your concern Alastor, we all do," Remus said calmly while giving Sirius a sharp kick in the shin under the table. "But I think Ebony is able to be trusted."

Moody grunted but said nothing. He had become even more paranoid than usual after his year of being locked in a trunk. Sirius thought it was a reasonable reaction but the old bloke could take it a bit too far sometimes.

"I too believe that the Lestrange girl is not a threat to us," Dumbledore agreed calmly. "In fact, she may actually be able to provide us with some useful information."

"Ebony will not be speaking about any such things until she is rested and healed." Madam Pomfrey had come back to check in on Ebony and such invited herself into the meeting. "She is my patient and I will not have her pestered."

If Dumbledore was shocked by the matron's outburst - he showed no signs of it.

"What about her parents though?" Molly asked, cutting into the conversation before any tension had the chance to settle. "Ebony left in the middle of the night, will they not come looking for her?"

"I assure you we do not have to worry about that," Sirius replied grimly. He still wasn't sure whether it was a blessing that they didn't have to worry about the Lestranges turning up on their doorstep or upsetting that a fifteen-year-old could leave in the middle of the night and her parents wouldn't come looking.

"Oh."

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "We will reconvene as usual on Thursday evening to discuss our progress with the other tasks."

And with that, the meeting was over. Moody left quickly, Remus began chatting away with Poppy and Molly had started making lunch for the house's remaining residents.

Sirius stayed seething in his chair.

Ebony had not even been under his roof for twenty-four hours and already Dumbledore was thinking of how useful she could be to him.

He'd lost enough of his friends to know what became of the headmaster's pawns and he'd be damned if he didn't protect his cousin for as long as he could.

Before Sirius could say anything he might regret to the lingering headmaster, Ginny came into the kitchen.

"Ebony's awake by the way," she said and Sirius almost lept from his chair. "Also how soon can we get Neville here?"

"Now that's very sweet idea Miss Weasley," Dumbledore said. " but I'm afraid that for security-"

"No." The room was stunned into silence.

If Dumbledore hadn't looked taken aback earlier, he certainly did now. "I'm sorry?" he said, looking down at Ginny over his half-moon glasses.

"Ebony has been through hell, if there is anyone she needs right now it's him. I've already told him what's happened and he is ready to come as soon as possible."

"I still feel that this is not the safest option for the safety of this premises."

"Fuck safety!" Sirius cried, rising from his chair. "If Ebony wants him here then the kid is coming here. It's the least we can do."

He gave Ginny a sneaky wink. He glanced over at Remus who he expected to be giving him a disapproving look. Instead, he just looked amused.

Dumbledore paused for a minute, contemplating.

"Very Well." He cleared his throat. "Lupin, if you can collect Mr Longbottom then I see no reason why he cannot be here to comfort his friend, perhaps tomorrow wouldbe be suitable. Now excuse me - I have many other matters to deal with."

Dumbledore swept out of the kitchen and Sirius followed moments later leaving Molly to berate her daughter's outburst.

He wanted to get a moment with Ebony before Madam Pomfrey started poking around.

Ebony was indeed awake when he walked into the sitting room. She was half sitting up against the arm of the sofa, gnawing on her thumb, lost in thought.

"Hello, Ebony."

She smiled when she saw him. "Sirius." Her voice was croaky and she still seemed very tired.

But she could smile.

He pulled the coffee table over and sat on the edge of it. He gently took one of her hands.

"How you holding up kiddo?"

"I'm okay." He just raised his eyebrows. "Do we really have to get into it right now?"

"I suppose I can save the pestering for Poppy when she comes in."

"So she was here." Ebony glanced away, her forehead creased as she seemed to be putting together the pieces of last night.

"How much of last night do you remember?"

"Not much of once I got here."

The image of Ebony collapsing into his arms was printed in his brain and Sirius wished he could forget it.

"Before?" Ebony sighed and avoided his eyes. "Ebony?"

"Why don't you use your imagination?" Her face looked so tired, so over everything already. Sirius knew she didn't want to talk but he also knew that the longer she kept all of the events swirling around in her head the worse she would feel.

"Why don't you give me something to work with?"

Ebony was silent for a moment, looking like she was contemplating just rolling over and going to back to sleep. "They found out about Neville," she said softly.

"Oh, dear." The one thing she'd been afraid of. The one thing she'd come to him asking for help for. He'd told her to go for it.

Sirius couldn't help but feel even more guilty than he already did.

"How?"

"We had a fight, they wanted me to marry some Slytherin prick. I said no and then my Father..." Ebony swallowed. Each sentence left her a little more breathless, the chaos of last night catching up with her again. "No one told me Professor Moody had actually been Crouch all along. It turns out he'd been writing to them all year."

Sirius swallowed. He hadn't thought. He hadn't even considered it. It had all been such a whirlwind with Harry that he didn't stop to consider all the possible consequences. Crouch was dead and he thought it ended there.

"Ebony, I'm so-"

"He'd seen us at the Yule ball. Then they just started poking around in my head, looking at all my memories. Of course, after that, there wasn't much more I could do."

Ebony was staring at the ceiling, her breathing laboured, her eyes bleary.

Sirius could figure out that there were probably other things that happened last night that she hadn't said but he wouldn't pry anymore. Not for now anyway.

He dropped her hand and brought his hand gently up to her face but she winced away from him.

"You know none of this is your fault right? This is all on them?"

Ebony shrugged.

Sirius knew she still had a long way to go to heal from all of this but he was determined to be with her for as much of it as he could, for as long as he could.

Sirius got up and crouched by the sofa, slipping an arm around her shoulders, ignoring the crack and ache in his knees as he did. For a minute she just ignored him but then, eventually, she leaned her head on him and shuffled into his chest.

It was a comfort that they both needed.

"Ginny talked back at Dumbledore earlier." He felt Ebony chuckle softly. "She'd drag Neville in here herself I think. You would like to see him wouldn't you?" She nodded her head.

"Thank you."

He kissed the top of her head. "It's alright, kiddo. I'm just glad you're here."

He now had one out of two of his concerns under his roof. So at least it was a start.