Author: Hi everyone! New Chapter for His Shining Light. I just wanted to let you all know that I changed some of the characters ages. The Black sisters had attended Hogwarts during the 1960s. The same with Lucius Malfoy, Arthur and Molly Weasly. I tried to make Arthur and Molly older, Seventh Years, to better fit the story line with their older kids. Anyway, hope everyone enjoys the next chapter! You guys rock! 3 ya!
So that was his little cousin.
Rodolphus LeStrange made his way down the hallway towards his fiancée's shrill voice. It echoed through the train like an out of water mermaid's song.
Opening the door to a nearby compartment he found it filled with several young Slytherins of varying ages, Bellatrix in the center of them.
Wedged between her and an eleven year old blonde girl, her sister Narcissa, was Sirius Black.
The poor kid looked absolutely miserable and Rodolphus didn't blame him.
" Now both of you listen good, you stay far away from that little red haired Blood Traitor! You hear me!"
" Of course, Bella!" Narcissa chimed, her blonde curls hanging beautifully around her cherub like face.
" Good girl, Cissy!" Bellatrix said before focusing her gaze on Sirius. " You had best listen too, Sirius!"
When the boy failed to respond she pinched his arm with her claw like nails.
" OUCH! QUIT IT, YOU HARPY!" He growled angrily as he rubbed the now bleeding spot.
" I'd best not catch you sniffing around that little bitch, Sirius! Or Aunty Walburga'll hear about it!"
" Back off, hag! Even if I gave two shits about that girl or even being near a stupid girl, I don't have to listen to you!"
" WHY YOU-"
And Sirius was out of the compartment before Bellatrix could grab him or her wand.
As much as the kid annoyed him, Rodolphus had to admit that he had balls.
He wasn't afraid to tell people what he thought.
" What an ungrateful little gnome." Bellatrix growled. " If we're not careful, he'll be a Muggle Lover just like Andromeda!"
" Don't say that, Bella!" Narcissa cried, her musical voice filled with dismay. " Don't ever say something so vile! We won't lose either of them to those filthy Muggles and their sympathizers!"
Rodolphus rolled his eyes.
He may not see eye to eye with Andromeda or Sirius but at least they had thoughts of their own.
They didn't parrot back everything their parents said.
" About time you got here! Tired of hanging around trash?"
Rodolphus fixed his gaze on Bellatrix as he heard Narcissa gasp worriedly. If looks could kill Rodolphus would be sprawled dead on the compartment floor.
" If I were you, I'd steer clear of that brat or she'll contaminate you."
" Just drop it, Bella." Rodolphus said as flopped down beside a boy with cropped blonde hair. " I'm tired and I don't want to hear you go on about it."
" I have a better idea, you probably think she's cute and don't want to hear anything bad about her!" The blonde boy sneered as Narcissa's eyes filled with tears. " No accounting for taste, I guess."
" No accounting for your stupidity, Lucius." Rodolphus said. " I don't find her attractive in the least. She's eleven for Merlin's sake, a child!"
It was then that he noticed Narcissa try to hide her face so that he wouldn't see. He had deduced that Narcissa had had a crush on him for a while now. Mainly because whenever he was around her the young blonde would redden.
He'd never give her or Elaine the faintest hint that ever give them the time today.
Not only because they were children but because Elaine was his first cousin!
Some of the old wizarding families may marry their first cousins still but he'd rather crawl over dragon glass naked and covered in sores.
The moment he saw Elaine he knew who she was.
When he had been younger, he had found a photograph of his aunt.
She had been about sixteen in the photo and she had the LeStrange's trademark high cheekbones and cat shaped eyes.
Elaine had looked just like her…even if she didn't have their family coloring.
She definitely didn't have their confidence.
He may not want anything to do with her as a person, but she was a LeStrange…and he'd make sure she understood what that meant.
" BLACK, NARCISSA!"
Sirius watched as his cousin ascended the stairs towards an old, three legged stool beside a forty year old witch.
Professor McGonagall.
Head of Gryffindor House.
Head of the Transfiguration Department.
The woman's long black hair was pulled tightly into a bun. She had a no nonsense look about her as Narcissa said daintily on the stool, a cocky look on her face.
Just as the hat was about to touch her head it shouted: " HAH! ANOTHER BLACK! I KNOW JUST WHAT TO DO WITH YOU…SLYTHERIN!"
Big surprise there. Sirius thought as Narcissa scurried off towards the table with green and black clothed students. She flopped down beside her sisters, Bellatrix hugging her enthusiastically.
He dreaded being placed in the same House as them. Just once he'd like to not be associated with the likes of them.
" BLACK, SIRIUS!"
He froze nervously at the sound his name.
He dreaded what was coming next.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Bellatrix shove a fellow Slytherin to the side in order to make room for Sirius once he was finally Sorted.
He cringed as he walked towards the stool, accidentally bumping into a red haired girl with…
Merlin's beard, she's everywhere! Sirius thought as he recognized the girl was Elaine from Diagon Alley.
She paled at the sight of him and quickly adverted her eyes. He groaned as she attempted to step out of his way. He grabbed her by the elbow before whispering: " I can make up my own mind about people."
He saw her face redden at his words.
He rolled his eyes at the very girly thing she just did.
" Mister Black, if you'd like to remain at Hogwarts then I suggest you hurry along!" Professor McGonagall snapped as Sirius made his past Elaine towards the stool.
" I'm sorry, Professor." He said as he finally sat down on the stool.
He stiffened when he felt the hat settle onto his head, sinking down to almost his nose. Inside, it smelled of musty leather and stale air.
" Interesting…"
Sirius raised an eyebrow at the raspy voice of the Sorting Hat. " You're not a normal Black are you, lad? You have the thirst for power that they normally have but a different sort. A clever mind, as well…and loyal to a fault…but your soul…it will truly tell where you belong…"
Elaine watched as the hat continued to mumble something about Sirius. It had been almost five minutes now.
Though she knew he'd never admit to it, she could tell by the way he was gripping the stool that he was nervous.
She was nervous for him.
He may be rude but he didn't seem cruel like his cousin Bellatrix.
She didn't want him to become like her. Their world could use less of people like her.
" GRYFFINDOR!"
A stunned silence fell over the Great Hall as the Sorting Hat had made its decision.
A Black had been Sorted into a House other than Slytherin…that was unheard of.
" Mister Black, please take your seat to the right." Professor McGonagall said calmly, ushering the black haired boy towards the table to his right filled with red and gold colored ties.
They stood clapping and smirking at the Slytherin table.
Where his cousins sat there, dumbfounded.
All but Andromeda, who clapped in congratulations.
They welcomed him as one of their own as he sat awkwardly amongst them.
Sirius looked up to see Bellatrix and Narcissa glaring at him. No doubt his mother would hear about this.
He knew a Howler was going to heading his way before the week was done.
" EVANS, LILY!"
A girl with hair a shade darker than Elaine's ran eagerly towards Professor McGonagall and the hat. She was beaming from eager to eager, her right leg bouncing in excitement.
" GRYFFINDOR!"
Lily ran excitedly towards the table where Sirius sat. He saw a boy with long greasy black hair watch her longingly.
Gross.
" HI! I'M LILY!" She said beaming, extending her hand to him.
" Sirius." He said cautiously.
" Are you the boy that Lainey talked about? From Diagon Alley?" She asked. " You must be! It's not that common of a name…I mean, maybe in the Wizarding World but not where I grew up!"
" Who's Lainey?" He asked curiously.
He all but groaned when she pointed to Elaine. " She said that's what her mum and dad call her. She said you seemed nice."
He snorted.
Nice.
Just because he kissed her cheek and helped her up.
He had only met her once, but he had found that she was overly cautious and shy and her cat shaped green eyes were filled with a kind of light.
Her voice was kind of musical as well.
What am I thinking? He thought, shaking his head of any thoughts of the red haired girl as Lily kept talking about something he couldn't care less about.
Meanwhile he watched as several different student were Sorted between the four houses.
" LUPIN, REMUS!"
Sirius heard several whispers go through the hall as a boy with light brown hair and green eyes cautiously step towards the stool.
He heard the word werewolf muttered under hushed tones.
The boy was covered in scars and bite marks and he almost tripped over his tattered to long robes.
The boy didn't seem too bad to him.
A little nervous as he sat on the stool, his hands trembling.
" GRYFFINDOR!"
Sirius saw the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, smile as the boy sat beside Lily who greeted him cheerfully.
" Hi! Your name is Remus? Mine's Lily!"
" H-Hello…" The boy said nervously.
" Did you grow up in a wizarding family like Sirius? You both are so lucky! I was raised a Muggle and have had to learn about all of this from books within the last two months!"
" SHHH!" A Seventh Year boy with long red hair said winking at the first years. " You lot can get to know each other after the Sorting's done!"
" Arthur Weasley! Hush! Leave those First Years be!" A Seventh Year girl with rusty colored curls snapped.
" O-Of course, Prewett!" The boy said smiling dreamily over at her.
" PETTIGREW, PETER!"
A chubby boy with mousy brown hair fell face first on his way to the stool, earning a raucous laughter from the entire hall. Sirius watched Elaine help him to his feet, the boy's face turning bright red either from embarrassment or from him noticing how close she was to him.
" GRYFFINDOR!"
" POTTER, JAMES!"
" GRYFFINDOR!"
" Hi! I'm James!" A boy with black hair said extending his hand to Sirius, Lily, Remus and Peter.
Sirius nodded in acknowledgement to the other Pure Blood. He was always cautious around other Pure Blood children.
It was always a coin toss between a god complex or actually being conscientious about the rest of the magical community.
" SNAPE, SEVERUS!"
He saw Lily cross her fingers and close her eyes.
She began muttering something saying remotely like: " Please, please, please!"
" SLYTHERIN!"
" YES!" Lily said as she clapped her hands excitedly. " Congrats, Sev!"
Better the greasy kid then me. Sirius thought as he watched Snape walk towards the Slytherin table where his cousins and Rodolphus LeStrange sat.
" WINTERS, ELAINE!"
Sirius heard several of the students at the Slytherin table begin to hiss when the red head cautiously made her way to the stool.
No doubt she felt even more nervous than she had the day they had met. With the fact his mother and aunt had made her and her own mother feel like the scum of the earth
On the train, Bellatrix had been running her mouth about all the things she'd like to do to the poor girl.
If she were to be placed in Slytherin…her fate would be sealed.
" Have a seat, Miss Winters." Professor McGonagall said firmly.
Elaine began to wring her hands fearfully as she sat on the stool.
Professor McGonagall was rather intimidating.
Elaine bit her lip as the Sorting Hat fell down almost to her chin.
" Interesting…"
She tensed at the sound of the Hat mutter.
" A child of the LeStrange and Winters bloodlines…I remember Sorting your parents. Slytherin and Gryffinor…but you're different."
Elaine bit her lip cautiously.
" Interesting…a sound mind, courage and a pure heart…a very rare combination." The Hat muttered. " Interesting…where shall I put you?"
Flashes of images of her helping the boy called Peter Pettigrew up and her helping an elderly woman eat.
Of her helping her mother in the field beside their house, picking food to donate to the local Muggle Shelters.
Of her carrying a bag of feed for her father as he fed for several winged horse breeds: Thestrals, Granian, and Abraxans.
" I see, so obvious why did it take me so long?" The hat chuckled causing her to raise an eyebrow.
" Where?" She said in a tone barely more than a whisper.
" HUFFLEPUFF!"
When Professor McGonagall pulled the Hat off her, Elaine's green eyes were wide with surprise.
The yellow and black table were standing as she strolled over to them.
Several students pulled her into a tight and welcoming hug.
A few people ruffled her hair.
Glancing up to the Head Table she saw a heavy set woman with greying curling blonde hair waving eagerly at her.
" Who's that?" Elaine asked a ghost of rather large friar that floated by.
" Well dearie, that is Madam Sprout, the Head of Hufflepuff House!" The ghost chimed lifting a goblet in recognition to the witch. " She teaches Herbology and I do say you will enjoy her classes!"
" Will the embarrassments to your family never end?" Bellatrix sneered as she watched Elaine scurry to the Hufflepuff table.
Rodolphus didn't bother acknowledging her comment.
In truth, he wasn't thrilled that his cousin was placed into a joke of a House like Hufflepuff…but he was thankful that she was far away from Bellatrix and her gang.
If she had been placed in Slytherin her torment from his fiancée would be never ending.
Chances were her life would have been in danger.
" I may need to discuss with mummy and daddy about ending our engagement." Bellatrix smirked.
" Don't do me any favors, Bella." Rodolphus said taking a swig of his pumpkin juice.
The look on her face was priceless.
York, England
July 1st 1995
Elaine Winters sighed as she watched as Muggle customers passed her tent at the Jorvik Viking Festival.
A bit late in the year for the festival, normally being held in mid-January to mid-February.
No one had stopped to peruse her hand made knives and bows.
" Bollocks." She grumbled as her stomach growled.
It was late in the evening now, soon she'd have to close up shop.
Since she had no one to assist her with her stall, she hadn't eaten all day.
A small hoot from her black banded owl behind her let her know just how late it was.
Persephone normally didn't wake until seven in the evening. If she were waking up now, then Elaine truly did need to pack it up.
Another soft disgruntled hoot.
" Alright, alright. I hear ya'." She mumbled, placing a Closed sign in-front of her tent and closed the flap.
She ran a hand through her now waist length ice blue hair.
She had Charmed day she had been discharged from Saint Mungos. To her mother's horror she had kept it like that.
Her mother would always say: Lainey, you're thirty-five for goodness sake! Change your hair back to your beautiful red!"
Hoot!
" Calm down, we'll be heading home soon." Elaine said calmly. " I just need to pack up and we'll be o-"
She tensed at the ripple of magic that went through the air. Her hand inched towards her wand, hidden underneath the table with the daggers.
" You're losing your touch, Remus." She said as a man with greying light brown hair awkwardly entered the tent.
" Ellie…" Remus Lupin said, scratching the back of his head nervously. " Long time no see."
" I thought I was rather obvious that I no longer wanted anything to do with the lot of you once I left Saint Mungos."
" You know I wouldn't be here unless it wasn't urgent." Lupin said taking a step forward.
SCHLING!
The werewolf froze as every single weapon in the tent suddenly sprang to life and aimed themselves at him.
" A-Are some of these infused with silver?" Lupin asked taking a step backwards.
" Only the best, now out!"
" Remus? Is everything alright in there?" A nervously female voice asked from the other side of the tent flap.
" Remus, I'm flattered. You brought a date to watch me geld you." Elaine smirked popping her neck as the blades never once faltered.
" She's not a date, Ellie." Lupin said paling even more as a blade inched closer to him.
A young woman barely out of her teens with spiky electric pink hair and violet eyes poked her head into the tent. " Remus?"
" Oh Moony, you sly old wolf. She's young enough to be your daughter!" Elaine smirked as heat flooded both their faces.
" W-Were not-"
" W-We'd n-never-"
" Don't worry, I'm sure Andromeda would Hex you back to the Stone Age if an old wolf like you were sniffing around her old child." Elaine said waving her hand dismissively.
" You know my mum?" The girl said.
" Lainey was good friends with your mum and dad when they were at Hogwarts."
" Lainey? What kind of nickname is that?" The girl snorted.
" Better then having a first name of Nymphadora." Elaine smirked as the girl blanched. " As a heads up, I told your mum that name was stupid when she told me she was pregnant with you. She didn't talk to me for a few months after that."
" I hate that name, I prefer Tonks."
" I prefer to be left alone, now get out!"
" Um…Lainey…the knives…could you please…"
" No, now get out. Sephy and I need to head home. She's been enjoying hunting the field mice near my cottage." Elaine said calmly as she reached for her carrying case.
" Lainey…he's back…" Lupin said causing to stop dead in her tracks.
" Who…?"
" You Know Who."
She felt her breath catch in her chest at his words. " He's dead."
" He wasn't, Lainey…he was in hiding like Hagrid and many others thought. He was semi corporeal form…and someone was able to restore him to his true body."
" Who would be so-"
" Wormtail." Remus said calmly.
" Wormtail's dead! HE killed him!"
" No he didn't, Lainey. We were wrong…about that…and about Lily and James." Remus said calmly. " Sirius never betrayed them. He thought by changing their Secret Keeper to Wormtail they'd be safer.
" Who'd ever think they'd use someone like him. Sirius would be their target while Lily and James would be safely hidden away somewhere. None of us knew that Wormtail was the spy!"
" It doesn't change everything he did." Elaine said her voice trembling slightly, the blades quivering in the hair.
" Lainey…the Orders reassembling." Lupin said calmly. " Dumbledore ha-"
" If Dumbledore wants me in the damn Order then he can come ask me himself! I said I was done with everything to do with that world and I meant it!" Elaine growled angrily.
" Lainey, we need to protect Harry!" Lupin said causing Elaine to stumble.
" Don't you dare, Remus!" Elaine hissed, her hand managing to grab a hold of her wand. " Don't you dare bring him into this!"
" Lainey! The Dark Lord has already tried to kill Harry upon his resurrection! He'll most assuredly try again!" Lupin said firmly. " You were one of the best Aurors to ever grace the departments halls."
" Key word there, WERE…" Elaine said calmly. " I'm not an Auror anymore, not for several years now."
" What? Just because you're not an Auror means you're not going to help protect Harry Potter from He Who Must Not Be Named!" Tonks snapped. " Weren't you friends with his mother?"
" OUT!" Elaine growled whirling on the girl. " I TOLD YOU BOTH NO, SO GET OUT!"
" Lainey, please-for Harry!" Lupin said as he grabbed Tonks' by her sleeve.
" OUT!"
Lupin groaned as he and the young Auror managed to escape the angry woman. " That could have gone better…"
" How could she just say no!" Tonks growled angrily. " Isn't she…wasn't she…"
" Dora, please…Elaine went through a lot after the war."
" Everyone did! What makes her think her pain is worse then anyone else's?"
" We should go." The werewolf sighed. " If she finds us here, it'll end poorly for us."
" I'm an Auror, I'm not afraid of her!"
" You should be." Lupin said leading her away from the tent.