Chapter 22: April 1996 – June 1996

Luckily the corridors were fairly quiet, everyone probably in their common rooms or in the library, waiting for dinner. The familiar griffin came into view and Olivia couldn't help but groan at the idea of taking another set of stairs. "Ice Mice," she muttered after glancing around, making sure she was alone. She stepped onto the step, letting the moving staircase wind its way upward. Swinging the door open, she glanced at all the portraits, looking for the pointed beard she recognized, but her eyes just didn't narrow in on it. "Headmaster Black?" she called clearly.

"Oh, what is it, now?" she heard his grumbling coming from the right wall, just above the bookcase. "What are you doing in here, girl? You shouldn't have the new password." His face was pinched in annoyance at having to deal with a student.

"I'm terribly sorry to bother you, Headmaster, but I was told to speak to you about getting a message to the Order Headquarters."

"Ohhh, no. Not again." He gave a dramatic sigh. "I'm done with all this hither to, back and forth business. I'll not have some girl making me a messenger. Now, go on," he flitted his fingers at her in dismissal.

"Please, Headmaster Black. It's an emergency." Olivia pleaded, but it was pointless. The man was back to pretending to be asleep. "Damn you Black men and your stubborn arrogant selves," she grumbled as she strode back towards the door, hoping he heard her. Pausing before she left, she turned, looking at the fireplace. "Do any of you know if Umbridge has this chimney under watch?"

"Dumbledore has this under his own surveillance, Dear," answered one witch's portrait. "Umbridge wasn't able to get into the office to unbind his spell work."

"You can only leave, though, I'm afraid," chimed another Headmaster. "Any incoming is blocked unless Dumbledore has spelled you in."

"Thank you," she replied, taking out her wand to expand the fireplace so that she could step inside. Grasping a small handful of Floo powder, she recited the address she had remembered. "Number Twelve Grimmauld Place." Green flames erupted around her as the powder fell from her hand. The next thing she knew, she was stumbling out of a fireplace and onto a soot covered Persian rug in a dark room. She coughed, remember why she hated traveling by Floo so much. "Hello?" she called out loudly as she stood. "Professor Lupin?" Olivia stepped into the hall. "Mr. Black? Hello?!"

A door opened to her right, revealing a tired looking face. "Olivia?! What are you doing here?!"

She was relieved to see someone there. "Professor, where's Black?"

"What's all the bloody racket?!" came a screech from upstairs.

Olivia paled when she recognized the voice. "It's a trap. Professor, the Dark Lord set a trap for Harry. They left for the Department of Mysteries."

Remus placed his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to calm her. Black finally reached the bottom of the stairs and stared at her in disbelief. "What did you say?"

"Harry had a vision. He thinks the Dark Lord is killing you at the Ministry."

"How did they leave? By Floo?"

"No, the chimney they thought they could take was being guarded so I think they must've flown. I can't think of another way they could leave, but they were on their way when I went to Dumbledore's office to get a message to you. I couldn't get that idiot ancestor of yours to do it, though, so I just took the Floo here."

"Sirius, contact the others," Lupin said calmly, sending Black running to another room. "Olivia, does your father know you're here?"

"He left to see if it was a trap and to find Dumbledore. I was supposed to send a message, but I couldn't, so, no. I can't use the Floo to go back either."

He nodded, seeming calm, but she could see his mind running. "Alright. Stay here. Do not leave for any reason, understand? I'll make sure to let Severus know where you are. Go into the sitting room. You're safe here," he said to her. "Don't worry. We'll make sure he's safe." He gave her a reassuring look before Black darted back into the hall.

It wasn't until the two of them left that the house and its quiet darkness began to make her uneasy. Olivia knew she was safe there, but she was alone while everyone was probably at the Ministry, fighting. She hoped that her dad was not included. Still, the thought weighed on her.

Moving to the sitting room, she sat in one of the wing back chairs in the corner, drawing her legs up into the seat. She closed her eyes, letting herself go deep into her mind. Trees erupted behind her. Fog rolled in from the forests surrounding the place as she watched the walls of her maze grow and take shape. Olivia began through the first entrance, winding her way through the paths. One she passed the second, she began carefully avoiding all the dangerous plants until she was at the center-most part of the maze. Walking towards the middle, she reached for the concrete tile that she knew would be the entrance, placing her hand upon it.

An intricate iron handle formed and she grasped it tight before using all her strength to pull it open. She had to carefully sit down and maneuver herself onto the ladder there, taking one step at a time. Olivia counted the steps as she made her decent. Once she hit the twenty-second, she reached out, feeling for the shelf. The rune carving on the edge told her which section it was. Taking hold of the ladder, she brought her foot out, stepping onto the platform that came out to meet her. Slowly, she began to feel along the spines of the books until she found a blank one. She opened it and placed her hand over the center of its pages, pouring all her memory of the day into it. As she felt the spine form the embossing of the date, she settled it back onto the shelf.

As Olivia reached out to find the ladder, she felt a clear prick in the back of her mind, which sent a chill over her. Suddenly a sense of dread overcame her and her maze began to collapse around her as she was being pulled out of her mind and in a different direction. A bright flash of green made her focus on the scene before her. Sirius Black stood before an archway, Potter beside him, staring in disbelief. His body began to dissolve into the space beneath the stone arch and Lupin moved to restrain Harry.

A pain erupted in her chest, bringing her back into the sitting room at Grimmauld Place. She clutched at her chest, forcing herself to breathe. Olivia felt her eyes tear up and wetness fall down her cheeks. A wicked cackle of a laugh in the distance startled her, forcing her to stand, looking around the room with her wand readied. Slowly, she began to realize what had happened. Black had been killed. She assumed that, because Harry was so close, the magic forced her astral projection. That laugh could only be one person.

She wiped the tears from her face and tried to calm herself, but a pain in her mind brought her to her knees. Flashes of red and green flooded her vision, the Dark Lord, and Dumbledore; a blazing fire sent heat across her skin. She felt a sense of worry that he might sense some unknown presence and tried to pull away from the scene. Olivia was only able to momentarily see the sitting room again before a giant wave of dark magic pulled her back into a shower of broken glass. She watched as the Dark Lord's face fell when his last attack did no harm. When he disappeared, she thought it was over, but saw that Harry seemed to be in pain. She stared as he appeared to wage some sort of internal battle. The Dark Lord must've found some way into his mind; the visions, the dreams, and this...it was no accident. This was torture.

Hearing the arrival of Aurors, she finally pulled back. Olivia felt as thought she'd been hit in the back of the head, pain bursting all over, her eyes unable to focus on what was around her. There was a roaring in her ears, but it was slowly starting to clear.

As the moments passed by, Olivia was able to think again. Sirius Black was dead. In the end, her warning them, it did nothing. She couldn't imagine what Potter must be feeling. She hoped the rest of them were okay. She hoped her dad was okay.

Olivia heard the front door open and shut softly. Whoever it was, their steps were quiet and slow. She didn't turn to see who it was. They must've paused at the opening into the sitting room where she was, but walked past, towards the kitchen. Assuming it was Lupin, she gave him a moment before getting up and making her way into the same direction.

She pushed the door open a little, glancing inside. Seeing him sitting in the seat she remembered Black sitting in the night she'd come before, his face in his hands. The sight brought tears to her eyes. He was his best friend, she remembered.

"Do you need anything?" she asked hesitantly.

He looked up, eyes red and glistening with yet unshed tears. "H-how-"

Olivia saw the look of confusion on his face. "I...don't think I can tell you how," she said carefully. "I just do. I'm sorry. I didn't know it would happen before, though," she added, looking down at the floor, unsure how much she should say. "Is my dad-"

Remus shook his head a little. "I haven't seen him, but I spoke with Dumbledore before I came back here. He said you should stay here for now." He cleared his throat. "Are you tired? I can show you a room to stay in if you want."

"No...no, I don't think I can sleep until I know Daddy's alright."

"I'll make some tea, then."

"I can make it, Professor," she said as he moved to stand. She took the kettle from the stove, filling it up. "Do you think Potter will be okay?" she asked hesitantly as she lit the stove. "I mean...really okay..."

He turned to her, taking her in. Watching her find the tea cups, he answered, "I don't know...he's lost so much...we all have."

"I suppose I'm rather lucky...but I do know the fear of losing people. I don't know what I'd do," she added quietly. The kettle began to whistle and she moved it from the stove. Filling two cups and adding the tea to steep before she settled them on the table between them. "I didn't get to know my mother, but I know I miss her. I can't imagine not having my dad, too."

There was a deafening silence for minute or two. She added some milk to her tea and took a small sip, staring into her cup.

"Your mother..." he started, seeming to be pained by a thought, "she'd be rather proud of you, you know."

Olivia smiled a little, looking up. "You think so?"

He smiled in return, giving her a serious look. "I know so."

Slowly, her chest began to contract as they continued to stare. Part of her was terrified. "D-do you-" she started, her voice shaking.

The front door opened and closed suddenly, footsteps coming down the hall towards them. She turned, seeing her father's looming form breach the darkness. "Daddy!" she exclaimed, rising quickly from her seat to meet him. Olivia wrapped her arms around his middle, thankful he was safe for the time being.

Knowing they weren't alone, he tensed, wrapping one arm around her shoulders. "Come. We must go." He glanced up to Lupin, giving him a stiff nod.

She turned to tell him goodbye. "Bye, Professor. I'm sorry again...about your friend."

Remus gave her a nod and smile. "Thank you. Goodnight, Olivia. Severus."

Stepping just outside the door, he apparated them both to Hogwarts. The gate loomed before them. "I have to go. Can I trust you to go straight to your dorm?"

"You have to go to the Manor, don't you..."

"Don't be seen, Olivia," he said, avoiding her question. "Take the entrance by the Astronomy Tower. No light and be quiet." He opened the gate just enough for her to get through. "To your dorm."

The cold of the dungeons accentuated the chill she felt. Something wasn't right. Olivia couldn't shake it. As the portrait opened to the common room, she saw Draco's blond hair; he was laid back on the couch nearest the fire, asleep.

She brushed the fringe out of his eyes as she settled onto the edge of the couch next to him. Sighing, she pushed against his shoulder just a little. "Draco," she whispered as he seemed to slowly waken.

He opened his eyes, startlingly cool grey took her in for a moment before he acknowledged her. "You're back. Where'd you go? What took so long?" he asked, his voice slightly raspy from sleep. He shuffled himself to sit up.

"I had to leave the castle to do something. There was a thing at the ministry. Your aunt killed Sirius Black." Draco simply stared, waiting for her to continue.

"What's wrong?" he asked when she didn't.

"I-I don't know," she said truthfully, feeling a bit of emotion rise in her chest. She couldn't place it. "Draco, I don't know, but something's wrong." Olivia leaned to his chest, feeling his arms wrap around her shoulders. "I felt it when I came back to the castle...something is wrong; I know it."

"Where's your father? He might know -"

"He had to go back to the Manor. He isn't here."

"What do you feel?"

"Like...dread. Everything feels like it's collapsing around me, but...it hasn't...not yet."

"Olivia. Olivia, wake up!" A voice sounded next to her bed, a knocking on the bedpost.

"Yes?" she replied, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She'd finally fell asleep only a couple hours prior and her mind was still in a fog.

"Professor Snape needs to see you. He said it's important."

Olivia suddenly pulled open the curtain to see Aster looking rather annoyed. She nodded stiffly, pushing the covers away. Grabbing her wand, she smoothed her hair and moved to her trunk to pull out a dress and some leggings.

She dressed quickly before taking the stairs to the common room. A few pairs of eyes watched her cross the room quickly. Even Pansy, who was by the fire with the Daily Prophet in her lap, seemed concerned. There was a tense feeling in Slytherin, like they knew something she didn't.

After knocking, she didn't have to wait long before the door swung open. She hurried inside and, as he closed the door, she started in. "What's going on? What's happened?"

Severus opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn't quite find the words. "Draco has been sent home early." He started towards his desk across the room.

"W-why?" she asked, cautiously. "No...Uncle Lucius...he's not..."

"He was arrested, Olivia," he said quickly, knowing she'd fear the worst. "He's been sent to Azkaban."

She was both relieved and devastated at the same time. At least he wasn't dead. Swallowing her emotion, she set her jaw tight. "What can we do?"

He turned to face her. "I'm going to see if they'll let me speak with him. Albus put in the request so I'm hoping they'll let me in."

"Professor Dumbledore did?" she interrupted. It dawned on her. "He wants you to convince him to-"

Severus held up his hand to stop her, giving her a serious look, "Olivia, Draco is going to need you right now. The Dark Lord is angry at Lucius's failure and he will take it out on the whole family. Draco is the heir. He will want to make an example out of him."

"Will he hurt him?" she asked, panic beginning to rise in her chest.

"I don't know, but it won't be good. He's beyond enraged."

"Tell me what I can do. I want to help. I need to help," she insisted as she walked closer to him.

"You have to stay here."

"What?" she gave him an incredulous look. He flinched and turned to walk around his desk. "No! Daddy, I will not keep standing on the sidelines. I cannot stay here while Draco needs someone there...someone who's on his side."

"I cannot protect you there, Olivia," he insisted, bracing his hands on the desk.

"No, you cannot," she said under her breath, "but I'm going." Olivia stood straight, looking at him defiantly. "I'll find a way whether you allow it or not. I'm sorry, Daddy...but I am not weak. I'm not afraid. I will do whatever I have to do to make sure they're safe...even if that means disobeying you." He shook his head, trying to stay his point. "What have you been training me for?" she asked him, pointedly. "Why have I worked so hard making sure my mind is impenetrable?" Severus sat down, seemingly defeated. "Daddy, I know I'm 'just your little girl,' but I think you forget that I am your daughter. I'm her daughter. I can do this. Please."

Severus seemed to think for a moment, before sighing. "Not right now. No-" he stopped her from interrupting him. "I understand your point, Olivia. But, you cannot be suddenly allowed to leave the school for the Manor for this reason. You'll be putting yourself and Draco in danger. You cannot be seen as anything other than mere friends and you don't see the rest of your friends running to the Manor. After school, I'll revisit this, but you must remain here for now."

She had to admit he had a point. Olivia let out a frustrated breath and turned to pace the floor before what he'd said suddenly dawned on her. Stopping mid-step, she looked back at him, "When...how did you-"

He just raised an eyebrow slightly. "I'm your father, Olivia. I had my suspicions for quite a while. I knew it was inevitable considering how close you are. The memory you showed me that night confirmed it. You may have combined two memories, but you cannot fabricate them. The emotions you used had to come from somewhere."