St. Mungo's Hospital

for Magical Maladies and Injuries

Cinnamon and sugar so dense the air tasted of it. The Portkey brought Siria and the Weasleys into the warm, half lit basement kitchen of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. Four arms wrapped around Siria. One set belonged to Sirius. The other to Chloe. Kreacher croaked for them to get back.

"Mistress!" Kreacher smiled like it had been months and not yesterday. Had it really only been yesterday?

"Siria," Sirius held his daughter's face in his hand. He examined it as though looking for wounds. "What happened?" He asked "Dumbledore said Arthur's been attacked."

"I'd like to hear this too," George said. He dropped into a kitchen chair, as did Fred. Ginny and Ron seemed hesitant, but joined. [B5, 476]

"I should go," Chloe told them. She picked her bag up off the back of a chair, kissed Siria's forehead, and waved farewell.

Sirius urged Siria into a chair and sat beside her. She wished they were not opposite the Weasleys. It felt so much harder to tell them. She closed her eyes. Somewhere, she wondered if she could handle the looks they were sure to give.

With the exception of the odd dream Siria had before the vision, she recounted each detail. Sirius placed his arm around her shoulders. He moved a little closer when Siria confessed to the second strike. She waited in silence when she finished. [B5, 475]

"Is Mum here?" Fred asked (B5, 476). Siria lowered her head.

"She'd be at hospital, at best," Sirius said. "Dumbledore wanted you out before Umbridge caught wind of it." [B5, 476]

"We've got to go to St. Mungo's" Ginny said. Siria heard three chairs scrap against the floor. "Could you lend us clothes?"

"You can't go until we hear from your mother," Sirius said and his grip on Siria's shoulder loosened.

"He's our dad," said Fred. "'Course we can go!" (B5, 476)

"And how are you going to explain you knew Arthur was attacked before Molly did?" Sirius asked as his arm withdrew. [B5, 476]

"What does that matter?" George snapped.

"It matters because we can't draw attention to the fact Siria is having visions of things hundreds miles away!" Sirius said as his chair scraped against the floor. "Have you any idea what the Ministry would do with that information?" [B5, 476]

Invisible to the participants of the shouting match, Siria pressed her face into her hands. If she could see through the snake, could it see through her? Her stomach turned. She could not stop it, but could it stop her? Could it move through her? Was it a Horcrux too? Siria held her breath like it would stop the tears. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter.

"This is why you're not in the Order," Sirius shouted at Fred and George. "You don't understand there are things worth dying for!"

"Siria?" Ron's whisper cut Fred's breath short.

"I'm so sorry," Siria cried. "If I was a better Horcrux—"

"Siria," Sirius hissed. She pulled her hands from her face and looked to him.

"They already know what I am." Her teeth chattered. She couldn't look to the others. "If I was stronger, I might have been able to stop it."

Sirius knelt before her. He wiped at her tears with his sleeve, but she pulled her own hands up to block him. Sirius clicked his tongue in quiet disappointment.

"You," Fred started. He eyed George, who Siria looked to as well.

"You think is a Horcrux thing?" George asked. Siria shrugged.

"What else would it be? Possession?" Siria asked.

"Do— do you remember..." Ginny paused. Fred put an arm around her. "Do you remember everything?"

"I do…" Siria whispered. The gush of warmth when her fangs punctured… she covered her mouth.

"I don't think it's possession," Ginny said. She sat down, with Fred and George on either side of her.

"It wouldn't be good for them to know," George said.

"About the Horcrux thing," said Fred.

"And they only take the best at St. Mungo's," George added.

"And you made sure they found dad," said Fred. More tears and an apology escaped Siria. [B5, 499]

She wanted to beat herself with the chair. Their dad was dying and she was the one crying. What would it matter if the Ministry knew? The worst they could do was kill her. When Kreacher opened the oven, she wondered if it would stop the pain to just—

"Mistress," Kreacher called with a gummy smile. "Kreacher has learned cinnamon rolls. Kreacher's frosting is very good. Even the Muggle says so," he said.

"Oh," Siria hiccuped. He placed a large cinnamon roll, the size of Ron's hand, on a plate before Siria. She tried to tell him that she wasn't hungry, but it smelt so good. The frosting smelt like cream cheese and more cinnamon. It was warm and soft.

A flash of fire dropped a golden letter and a roll of parchment. Mrs. Weasley sent a short note, which George read aloud. "Dad is still alive. I am setting out for St. Mungo's now. Stay where you are. Will send news as soon as I can. Mum." The siblings took turns reading over the note, as though they would find additional information or words of comfort. [B5, 478]

"Kreacher, could I get one?" Ron asked after they each read the letter. "It smells amazing," Ron said at the look Fred gave him. "And we don't know when we'll hear from mum." Kreacher readied five more cinnamon rolls, though Fred and Ginny hardly touched theirs. Occasionally, Sirius would rub Siria's cowlick down. Kreacher took the seat beside Siria. He told her of the new recipes he tried since she left for school.

They hovered in states of half sleep. Kreacher was the only one with energy. Somehow, everyone had tea. It smelt like rose, honey, and calm. Siria thought she finished hers twice. Both times her cup grew warm and heavy when her eyes fluttered closed for just a moment. She put her glasses on the table and listened to Kreacher who grew loud then quiet in waves.

Just past five, the upstairs door swung open. The lot of them startled awake. Sirius and Siria stepped back so the Weasleys could greet their mother. They heard Mrs. Weasley's tired voice crack "He's going to be alright." Sirius hugged Siria and kissed the top of her head. [B5, 479]

"He'll be alright," Siria repeated into the quiet kitchen.

Once the Weasleys returned to the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley pulled Siria into a tight hug. Siria's fingers trembled before they grasped at Mrs. Weasley. "You should hate me," Siria choked.

"Siria?" Mrs. Weasley looked her in the eyes. "Siria, I don't know what would have happened if it hadn't been for you. It could have been hours before they found Arthur and…" She placed her face beside Siria and hugged her again. "Thanks to you, Arthur is alive and Dumbledore was able to make a cover story for why Arthur was there. If he hadn't… look at poor Sturgis." [B5, 479-480]

Kreacher fried up bacon and eggs, which everyone seemed to have room for now that the anxiety of Mr. Weasley's condition was gone. Mrs. Weasley thanked Sirius for having them and Sirius extended through Arthur's stay at St. Mungo's. Everyone went upstairs to rest. [B5, 481]

When Siria was sure the others were asleep, she slipped from her bunk. She snuck up the stairs, to Sirius's room, but only Mrs. Weasley was there. Siria found Sirius down in the study. He pulled the corners of his mouth into a small smile that confessed he figured she wouldn't sleep.

"How can I be sure Voldemort won't take me over?" Siria asked. She sighed and pulled her legs into the armchair as she sat down. "I don't suppose the prophecy says—"

"Siria," Sirius hissed. She forced a smile.

"I couldn't stop the snake attacking.. But what if he can make me attack someone?" She asked. "There was a moment, when Dumbledore finally looked me in the eye, and I—I…" Siria placed her hand over her mouth. "Sirius, I wanted to bite him."

"You were ti—" Sirius began.

"I was not tired!" She snapped. "I was awake enough to bait Phineas Nigellus and… could we just operate under the possibility I wasn't 'just tired' and it is Voldemort?"

Sirius leaned against the desk. He took in Siria's face like it hurt him. The creases around his eyes spoke of a man much older than the one that wore them. His grey eyes were matte with exhaust from the night they witnessed.

"If it is Voldemort, I would say that I will have to take a leave of absence, after the holiday," Sirius said. "Even if it is Voldemort, could you humor your old man and celebrate the Holiday?"

"What about the others?" Siria asked. "What if Voldemort takes me over and I attack them?"

"How comfortable are you in your Animagus form?"

"Like, am I comfortable enough to spend the rest of break as a dog?"

"Just when you sleep. That seems to be when you glimpse into his mind. Now, I don't much remember my dreams when I'm a dog," he said.

"Okay," Siria nodded. "I suppose that's fair."

Siria closed her eyes. Where she sat, she morphed into a large, black dog. The lightning scar was buried beneath the thick, jet black fur. It was most visible with her eyes closed, and the end of the scar was visible. She yawned and curled up on the armchair. Siria put her head on the arm rest. Something about the smell of home sent her to sleep.

Tonks, with her hair bright pink, and Mad-Eye Moody with a bowler hat tilted to cover his eye, accompanied the Weasleys, Siria, and Sirius to St. Mungo's. Sirius kept one arm on his wand, in his pocket, and the other around Siria the entire way. She wanted to ask why they didn't just walk her on a baby leash when Sirius paused to keep Siria close to Moody when a group of shoppers past. [B5, 481-483]

"Did they really hide the hospital on a shopping street?" Siria asked Sirius.

"To be fair, where else do you hide something so large that needs to be on the surface?" Sirius asked. "It's slightly off the beaten path," he told her as they approached Purge and Dowse Ltd. Siria eyed Sirius over her glasses. The red bricks were sunbleached almost pink. Their mortar was caked with grime. Its window displays would have been cute and retro, if they weren't faded enough to be 80's originals. Large, dusty signs hung in the window and read CLOSED FOR REFURBISHMENT. [B5, 483]

Tonks leaned so close to the glass before a mannequin that it fogged when she spoke. "Wotcher… we're here to see Arthur Weasley." Siria stepped back, but could not go far with Sirius's arm on her shoulder. He was completely unfazed by the mannequin's nod and beackon. Sirius led Siria through the glass, after Ginny, Tonks, and Mrs. Weasley. [B5, 483]

Once their party was through, they went to the Welcome Desk. Siria caught the eye of Dilys Derwent, the silver ringleted witch from Dumbledore's office. Dilys nodded to Siria and stepped from her portrait. [B5, 484-485]

Sirius pointed the floor guide out to Siria. Artifact Accidents on the ground floor, Creature-Induced Injuries on the first, Magical bugs on the second, Potion and Plant Poisoning on the third, Spell Damage on the fourth, and the Visitors' Tearoom and Hospital Shop fifth floor. [B5, 485-486]

"How do Magical Hospitals work?" Siria asked Sirius as another person approached the Welcome Desk. "I mean, Snape isn't a doctor, but he brewed the Potion for Chloe, right?"

"Healers are different than doctors," said Sirius. "I don't know how Muggle Hospitals work, but if only three people are known to have accomplished something successfully, then they're brought in to do it."

"Only three people brew Chloe's Potion?" Siria asked. She looked up at her father, though the distance between their eye levels had grown smaller.

"It's like the Wolfsbane Potion," said Sirius. "Only, more people know that one. Snape and

Anahita Daryaee are the only two documented Potions Masters, aside from the creator, Shu-fen Li, to brew and use it on someone."

"It's that difficult?" Siria asked.

"It's more that it isn't commonly used," said Sirius. "Anahita Daryaee and Shu-fen Li both used it on themselves, which is quite risky." He pointed to a poster that read "Antidotes are Anti-Don'ts unless approved by a qualified Healer." [B5, 484]

"But wouldn't Dr. Daryaee know that it would work, since it worked for Dr. Li? Or are you worried about my Potion experiments now that I'm free of Snape?"

"Both," he said. "And neither Daryaee or Li are Healers. They're simply very accomplished in Potions."

"'Simply'?" Siria asked as they followed the others toward Mr. Weasley's room. She linked her hands around his arm. "One of them found an insanely complicated cure and the other was the second of three to learn it. What do you use on someone like that?"

"All of your respect," Sirius patted Siria's hand.

"We'll wait outside, Molly. Arthur won't want too many visitors at once," Tonks said. "It ought to be family first." (B5, 487) Mad-Eye leaned against the wall. Sirius leaned a few paces from him, with Siria beside him. Mrs. Weasley reached for Siria. "Don't be silly, dear, Arthur wants to thank you," she said. Siria looked to Sirius, who shrugged and let Molly pull Siria into Mr. Weasley's room. [B5, 487]

Mrs. Weasley pulled Siria to Mr. Weasley's bedside. He was propped up on pillows, with the Daily Prophet in hand. Mr. Weasley was beside the only small window in the room. The other two patients paid them no mind. [B5, 487-488]

Mr. Weasley told them they just missed Bill, who had to leave for work. With some prying, he confessed he was fine, but the wounds would not heal. He assured them that, as long as he took the Blood-Replenishing Potion each hour, he would be fine and the Healers were working on a cure. In a whisper, he told them about the others in the ward: a woman who wouldn't say what bit her and a man bit by a werewolf. [B5, 487-489]

"A werewolf?" Mrs. Weasley pulled Ginny closer to her as she peered around. "Is he safe in a public ward? Shouldn't he be in a private room?"

"The full moon is a week away," Siria said as Mr. Weasley said "It's a week till full moon." Mrs. Weasley reddened. Mr. Weasley continued that the Healers are doing what they can to persuade the man with the werewolf bite that he can live a rather normal life. When Mr. Weasley tried to tell him he knew a man that found the condition manageable, the man told him to shut up or he'd give Mr. Weasley another bite. [B5, 488-489]

"You were guarding it, weren't you?" George asked quietly (B5, 490). "The prophecy?"

"George, be quiet!" Mrs. Weasley snapped (B5, 490).

"Why can't we just take it?" Siria asked. "It can't possibly worth dying over."

"Nobody's died, Siria," Mr. Weasley said. "Thanks to you, we're all fine." Siria glanced to Ron, who had not met her eye, then George, then Fred.

"If You-Know-Who heard the prophecy, why's he sending a giant snake after it?" Fred asked.

"That's enough," said Mrs. Weasley. She ushered them out under the pretense that Tonk and Mad-Eye wanted to talk with Mr. Weasley. [B5, 490]

With Fred and George's Extendable Ears, Fred, George, Ginny, Ron and Siria listened. There was silence, then they heard Sirius as clearly as if he was standing beside them. Tonks and Mad-Eye explained the snake wasn't found. Mad-Eye speculated that Voldemort sent it to survey the area. Mrs. Weasley is rather uneasy about Siria having seen Mr. Weasley be attacked. Mad-Eye says Dumbledore seemed to expect it. "Obviously, Potter-Black doesn't realise You-Know-Who is possessing her—" (B5, 491)

Siria stiffened, rigid as a board. She felt the others eyes on her, but focused on the door as if she could not. "My daughter is not being possessed, Mad-Eye," Sirius said.

"You can call it what you like," Mad-Eye said, "but if she's poking into his head, he can poke into hers."

"'E hasn't yet though," said Tonks. "Maybe it only works one way. Maybe the Killing Curse has that effect and no one knows 'cause Siria's the only one to survive."

"If only," Siria thought. It certainly endeared her to Tonks for being so hopeful. She removed the Extendable Ear from her own, and placed it in George's hand (B5, 491). He looked so torn between worried and scared. Siria stretched the corners of her mouth into a smile. Maybe they would be fine. Maybe it did work one way, as Tonks guessed.