Author's Note: Hello, I'm back and it's a bit of a miracle. I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but it was all I could handle typing. The day I told you I was taking a few weeks off, I was in a head on car crash where my hands were badly bruised and my pinky on the left hand was broken (I was also horrible bruised across my torso and I have several bone bruises as well as large hematomas). I never realized how often you used the pinky on your left hand when typing until it was painful to do so. The chapter is shorter, but it was a good place to stop. Many thanks to my amazing beta, Arnel, who has been ever so helpful. Thanks to everyone who has taken time to read and review, I will respond to every review that I can. MNF
Chapter 23:
Where the Heart Is
Sunday 19 November 1995
Time felt as if it was standing still for Sirius Black. He'd spent nearly every minute since his return from the States in this damned hospital room, awaiting Amy's awakening. Sure, his birthday had been yesterday, and Harry and Remus had sung to him, but it was generally understood that they'd combine Amy's coming home and his birthday when it was appropriate. Sirius glanced at his watch; almost quarter past three. The night just seemed to drag on.
The hospital was quiet, exceptionally quiet and much too quiet for the man. Two days had passed, and Amy was still unconscious. The healers had reduced the potions, and she was no longer in an induced coma, but she'd not awakened either. At this point, her body would know when it was safe enough for consciousness. For Sirius, however, the waiting was excruciating.
Black had come to loathe the overly cheerful yellow paint on the walls, the mock window that was always clear during the day and showed a burst of bright sunshine, regardless of the weather outside. He didn't mind the window so much at night when the moon and stars would float by, but then again, some of the constellations reminded him of relatives he'd prefer to never think of.
Sirius stood and paced about as if he were a caged animal. What he wouldn't do to be able to shift over and chase a rabbit or a hedgehog—like he sometimes did at home when the pressure became too much and his anxiety overwhelming. But he couldn't do that here, and the remedy was simple; he needed Amy to wake up.
He sat back down and calmed himself with the deep breathing his therapist taught him. Dr Phillip had recommended another psychologist who straddled the magical/non-magical line. It was good to speak with someone who wasn't part of his immediate family/friends' household. Sirius had a lot of baggage to unpack.
Calmer, Sirius did what the therapist suggested; he thought of happy times. He remembered the first time he met Amy. She was a Prefect from Hufflepuff, and he was a second-year who had been caught coming from the kitchens with bowls of snacks well after curfew. She deducted points, took a chocolate fairy cake and escorted him back to Gryffindor Tower with a knowing smile on her face. Sirius thought she was pretty, which was a high compliment from a boy who generally only thought highly of his mates.
Over the years, they interacted at school, but she was three years older and was quite a studious type. While he did well in his classes, Sirius wasn't as interested in the library as she was. Amy graduated top of her class and immediately went to work in the Ministry, in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement – one of the most demanding departments to be placed in. Occasionally he heard something from her brother, Edgar, who was in their year, about what she was doing. Still, Sirius, James, Remus and Pete were more worried about pranking Snape and surviving the increasing violence within the walls of Hogwarts. Oh, they became concerned about their grades when he and James realized if they wanted to work in the DMLE, they'd need OWLs and NEWTs. He and James succeeded, the only two from their year to pass the gruelling entrance exams.
Sirius and Amy worked together on several cases once Sirius was stationed in the DMLE too. She was a senior Auror, he a junior Hit Wizard, but it never bothered Sirius. He was along for muscle when on a case, and he knew it. She was the investigator and understood how to handle evidence so that those arrested would be convicted. They didn't get together as a couple until a rather drunken Yule party a year after Sirius had taken his position.
After a mildly awkward morning, they decided they liked each other enough to make a go of a relationship in the madness of the magical world they were in. So they told their supervisors, who immediately split their pairing up but let the relationship grow. Sirius had been ready to propose, something he'd never expected, but then he'd never met someone who challenged him like Amy did.
Both from old families, they understood the expectations each was under; Sirius might have been the white sheep of the Black family, but he was still the eldest male, and regardless of what his mother might have believed, his grandfather had never chucked him from the family. Amy was able to help navigate the delicate politics of the time, and they made a rather formidable pair. She was the bright spot of sunlight amid the midnight of the war. Well, so was Harry. He'd never loved someone the way he loved his godson. The world stopped when James and Lily were murdered, he was arrested, and Amy had never visited. It was perhaps the worst betrayal, even worse than Dumbledore or Remus. The woman who knew him best believed he could kill his brother and the woman who bore his godson.
That was behind them, however; now, Sirius just needed Amy to wake up. He was ready to take the plunge as soon as she was well. He knew Harry would take well to the relationship. He hoped Susan would too. Wrapping his hands around her free one, he leaned down and started reminding Amy of their shared times.
ITWAU ITWAU ITWAU
Six and a half hours later, Augusta and Kingsley sat in front of reporters. They'd given the accounting of what had happened two days previous and apprising the public of the repairs which were returning the Atrium they were sitting into its previous condition.
"Deputy Minister Shacklebolt," a reporter from The Daily Prophet said, "how do we know there won't be another attack from this group, 'Magic For The Worthy'?"
"We don't know that there won't be another," Kingsley answered honestly. "The public, however, can help us. So keep your eyes open; if you see or hear anything suspicious, please contact the DMLE. They are here to keep all of us safe."
"Did this group have any demands?" another reporter asked.
"They didn't state any," Augusta responded. "But even if they had, the Ministry and the Wizengamot would not have responded. We do not negotiate with terrorists. This county was overcome by such a group twenty years ago, and I do not need to remind most of you what it was like to live in such fear. The Magical community of Great Britain needs to stand up and say we will not tolerate such behaviours." Her strong words were punctuated with clapping, which pleased the people on the dais. A few more questions, and the press conference was over. Augusta, Kingsley, Rufus Scrimgeour and Remus Lupin retired to the Chief Witch's office, where her assistant, Gemma, was waiting with Neville and a full cream tea.
"At least people took you seriously," Neville said to his gran.
"Yes, I believe they did," she answered. "But I'm quite worried that we know so little about this 'Magic For The Worthy' group. Without knowing more, we might be facing several more attacks. Diagon Alley is in enough trouble; an attack there might cripple the magical economy for another year. We have just been getting shops opened again."
"I've got twice as many Aurors patrolling the area," Rufus said. "Thankfully, when we asked for help, our international counterparts responded. The Canadians and New Zealanders have been exceptionally helpful in that each Auror brought an extra three wands with them, so I've been able to pull some of our 'retired' Aurors and Hit Wizards in to do some shifts, too."
"Alastor Moody has appointed himself chief investigator into this terrorist group," Kingsley added. "I didn't realize he's been living at your place, Remus."
"With living in the Manor house with Sirius and Harry, I didn't feel comfortable leaving the house completely empty. Mad-Eye's house is magical, and without a wand, he is suffering. Since mine was formerly a Muggle house, and he's there by himself, it seemed like a good fit. It's also nearly impossible to sneak up on the place since it's in the middle of a field with nothing nearby except for sheep pastures."
"How is Harry? I seem to miss him whenever we're home," Augusta asked.
"He's better than Sirius, but only slightly. He thought he was done with the pureblood nonsense when he saw the Death Eaters all dead," Remus answered. Everyone in the room knew Harry's story, although Augusta and Neville knew much more. "He's been shaken by it. He's also worried about Amelia. He's become closer to her since she and Sirius are together now."
"Hard to believe that 'By-the-rules-Bones' is dating Sirius Black, best known as the prankster of Hogwarts and the Hit Wizard offices," Rufus said, taking another Jammy Dodger from the plate.
"Nonsense," Augusta said sharply. "They complete the other. Sirius allows her to laugh and let her hair down, while Sirius is perfectly capable of being the consummate politician when needed. I'm not sure how Susan feels about the pair, but Harry finally relishes having a father and mother figure. But, of course, he has several adoptive grandparents too."
"I'm happy to share you, Gran," Neville said, earning him a gentle pat on his hand.
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"Well, Mr Weasley, what do you see?" the healer asked.
"Please call me Bill, and while I used to see a big dark nothing, I now see a bright nothing," Bill said after the healer had removed the bandages from his face.
"That's good. It means you haven't permanently burned your corneas," the healer said jovially. "I'm going to give you a mask, and when the light becomes too much, and you feel a headache coming on, you can slip that over your eyes. I suspect you'll have your eyesight back in a week a so. After that, you might need glasses or an eyesight correction spell, but you'll be fine very soon."
"Thank you, Healer Newsome," Bill said, and the healer left the room. "Isn't that great news, Mum?" Bill looked to the opposite side of the room from where Molly was, but she came up to the side of the bed and took his hand.
"It certainly is," she said, deciding to pull him into a hug. "Now, we just need some good news with your dad."
"Mum, Dad is going to be fine. His healer said Dad can get a prosthetic leg in a few weeks. In the meantime, we will all just need to pitch in and help him."
"Mum, Professor Lupin said he'd be by to cook for as long as you need us, and the Longbottoms are willing to let us have their house-elf for a while, too. I've gotten the hang of the laundry, and the twins are good about hanging it up in the barn," Ginny said from the end of the bed. "Plus, Sirius said we could move in if we're stuck."
"We are not moving into that commune," Molly said firmly.
"I don't think you can call a mansion where two-thirds of the bedrooms are empty a commune, Mum," the girl retorted. "Anyway, we work harder in lessons than at school."
"Really?" Bill asked.
"Oh, yeah," Ginny said with a strong emphasis. "There are structured homework times, and lessons are two hours long, two in the morning and three in the afternoon if you count wandless magic with Maia. I sometimes don't because it's so organic and not at all bookish. Hermione still struggles because she can't read about it."
"Organic magic," Molly clucked. "Nonsense. Wanded magic is far more practical than that."
"I don't know," Ginny said. "I can return mouldy fruit and veg back to ripe without thinking now. I can also grow a seedling into a four-inch plant."
"Wow, that's impressive," Bill said. "Mum, there are more creatures who do magic without wands than witches and wizards who use them."
"They're creatures, Bill, not magicals and certainly not real wizards and witches," Molly snipped. "Now, we shouldn't be making you upset. I'm going to check on your father. Ginny?"
"I'll stay with Bill," she said. "He might want to eat something." Molly kissed her son and daughter and then left the room.
"So, you really like your education better than Hogwarts?" Bill asked Ginny. She moved to the chair next to the bed.
"With only a few of us learning, it's much easier. I'm younger than everyone else, and I'm keeping up. The social parts of Hogwarts I miss. The food at Sirius's is better, and his chef is amazing, but the dating opportunities are slim, with only four girls and three boys. We fly, but it isn't like Quidditch."
"Hmm, you're just fourteen, Gin; perhaps dating shouldn't be on your mind."
"If I were Ron, would you say the same thing?"
"If you were Ron, I'd tell you that sitting around and doing nothing and not helping is not the way to prepare to return for your OWL year. He's going to need remedial tutoring to take fourth-year over."
"That would be funny since Professor Lupin thinks I could sit the ICW OWLs with the rest next spring," Ginny said with a mischievous tone. "I'd be a year or maybe two ahead of him."
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"I told you we needed to do it before anyone had wands yet," the female said.
"How were we to know she was still in the building?" the male retorted. "She's always gone home before then. Just our luck, we get the magic right on the vest, but the Minister is there and makes sure no one is really hurt. The girl didn't even get into the right place to do any damage. I told her to stand BETWEEN the Floo fireplaces. The magic running the Floos makes the walls weaker."
"Well, the Ministry is out for now," the woman said. "Everyone is being checked for dark magic, and they've put in some sort of wand search for hidden items. Marcy Selwyn told me they wouldn't let her bring her knitting into the building because the needles were considered dangerous objects."
"Stupid blood-traitors, Muggles and Muggleborns. You'd think we'd be okay with purebloods like a Bones for Minister and a Longbottom for Chief Witch, but no, they must agree with the likes of Potter, Black and Weasley. Seating Remus Lupin, a werewolf, in the Wizengamot! The world is crumbling apart."
"We will make them pay, and then we'll set things right. But, maybe we're thinking too big?" the woman contemplated. "Maybe we don't bring down the Ministry, but we play on the hearts of those who want to change. That Lupin creature is close to all those driving the Wizarding world away from the true path and into chaos. Perhaps he needs to be eliminated?"
"What will killing one werewolf do?"
"It's not any werewolf. It's the friend of them all. Voldemort struck at families to get what he wanted; perhaps a friend would do the same?"
