Mayhem At The Ministry

(Book: B4, 145 They take an early morning Portkey & get back to the Burrow, where Mrs. Weasley is relieved they're all alive and was so worried the last thing she'd ever tell the twins was that they didn't get enough O.W.L.s. Inside, Mr. Weasley learns that Rita Skeeter claimed that there were bodies removed from the forest and that he was quoted. He decides it would be best for him to go to the Ministry, which Mrs. Weasley protests because it's his vacation and it isn't even his department, but he insists)

"I should go too," Sirius sighed and kissed the top of Siria's head.

"What?" She asked and took hold of her father's jacket, "You don't even work for the Ministry!"

"I may not be a Ministry Official, but I do a lot of work for them."

"Sirius!" Siria tsked and looked up at her father. "If you go, when can…" but the words were lost somewhere in her throat and she fell silent. He patted her messy, jet-black hair.

"The packages should have been delivered and once it's known, you can." He replied knowing she wanted to talk about the Triwizard Tournament, but she didn't know what package had been delivered.

With a tired sigh, Siria waved Sirius off as he and Mr. Weasley Apparated from the kitchen. On Mrs. Weasley's large, grandfather clock, Mr. Weasley's hand moved from "Home" to "Work." The silver hand on Siria's watch jumped to ten o'clock and she knew he was at the Ministry. Siria sighed while she stared at the small, rune covered hand of her watch.

"Neville!" a stern voice called from the yard. Neville flinched before he rushed into the yard, calling after the woman. His grandmother had come to collect him. After what happened at the World Cup, it wasn't a surprise at all. Though Mrs. Weasley offered them a cuppa, Neville's grandmother was eager to get home. "Next time," she told Mrs. Weasley and patted her hand.

"See you at school!" Hermione hugged Neville. The trio waved Neville off as he boarded the Knight Bus with his grandmother.

Ron patted Siria's shoulder. "Come and have a game of Quidditch in the orchard, Siria" He suggested (B4, 150).

(Book: B4, 150-152 Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, Ron, & Siria go to the paddock.

Time passes & Percy complains about all the Howlers he's been getting that are full of complaints about the World Cup. Mr. Weasley & Percy have hardly been home. Mrs. Weasley says Mr. Weasley hasn't had to work weekends since the time of Voldemort/Tom Riddle/You-Know-Who/He Who Must Not Be Named; Percy says his father has to make up for his mistake. Mrs. Weasley & Bill say it wasn't Mr. Weasley's fault and that Rita Skeeter is awful. It's raining hard)

Siria closed Animagi and watched endless stream of rain thudded into the window. It had been raining for days, but there hadn't been a single bolt of lightning. She was starting to wonder if she'd ever become an Animagus. Absently, Siria fanned the pages of the book while it rested in her lap. "Could I make a lightning storm?" she asked herself before wondering if a magically created lightning storm would work.

Her almond shaped green eyes stared back at her from the window. The square frame of her lenses complimented her eyes. She felt they looked larger or at least brighter. Siria ran a hand through her mane of hair. Ever since Sirius Transfigured it back, she had left her hair black. It looked as though it had never seen a brush and she had gained a severe cowlick that made the back of her hair stick up worse than usual.

Mrs. Weasley patted Siria's hair as she past her to continue folding the laundry while she waited for Mr. Weasley to return. "Ya know, I'm sure Kreacher would be more than happy to help," Siria mentioned again.

"Thank you, dear, but it's really fine." Mrs. Weasley assured her. Siria sighed. Rather than continuing her re-read of Animagi, she turned to watch Bill and Ron's chess match.

"Arthur, though I don't approve, I can understand him going in, but your father…" Mrs. Weasley trailed off as she spared the grandfather clock another glance. Siria looked to her watch, which told her Sirius, much like Mr. Weasley, was at work. Sirius hopped between the Ministry and Moony & Padfoot, but usually stopped at the Burrow for dinner before heading out again. He and Mr. Weasley almost always missed each other.

"I get it." Siria said more softly than she intended. "I'll see him next summer though."

"And break," Ron skipped in. Hermione shot Siria a glance, which conveyed that Hermione still felt guilty that Ron didn't know about the Triwizard Tournament. To be fair, Siria felt it wasn't fair too, but was just as magically bound as Hermione to not say a word.

"With all that's happening," Siria managed to say. She and Hermione had learned that, if it sounded like they were talking about something else, they could work around Colloquium Signati, at least a little bit.

Mrs. Weasley smiled as she paired up socks. "With all that's going on at school, I'd imagine you'll want to stay."

"Mother!" Percy gapped at Mrs. Weasley. "It's classified."

"Honestly, just tell us." Ron rolled his eyes, but wouldn't hear about the tournament. The only hand away from "Home" ticked to join the others.

(Book: B4, 153-155 Mr. Weasley is home & informs them that Rita Skeeter learned Bertha Jorkins has been missing. He adds that they're lucky Rita Skeeter doesn't know about Winky. Percy tries to argue that it shouldn't affect Mr. Crouch, but Hermione tells Percy he's lucky no one knows how poorly Winky was treated. Hermione gets heated, rightfully so, but Mrs. Weasley dissolves it and tells them to go check their things and make sure they're all packed.)

Hermione went through the parcells on her camp bed. Siria plopped down at the foot of her own camp bed and sighed. "Is it too much to ask for more time with my parent?" Siria grumbled, face down and half into her pillow.

"No." Hermione sighed. Siria listened to Hermione load the parcells into her trunk. "Oh, Siria!" the smile in Hermione's voice made Siria turn her head.

In Hermione's hands, Chloe's finished work laid with the shoulders of the dress pressed to Hermione's. It had a semi-sweetheart necklace of the blue fabric and Chloe filled it into a scoop neck with the bronze lace that covered the bottom of the dress. Siria pinched part of the flair of the ballgown and admired the seamless layering of the bronze lace that went from making it look like the bottom of the dress was bronze to fading itself out under Hermione's waist.

"It's amazing!" Hermione beamed. She spun with the dress pinned to her. "Get yours!" She insisted. Siria rolled her eyes, but reached for the Moony & Padfoot box. Just as she undid the bow, Siria paused.

"Don't hate me, but I kinda want it to be a surprise." Siria confessed.

"Now you tell me!" Hermione laughed, but they packed their things in a much better mood than when they entered the room.

The moment the small, silver hand of Siria's watched moved from ten o'clock, Siria dashed downstairs. "Sorry!" She shouted at George, having knocked into him as she past, but she didn't stop. "Dad!" Siria called and continued to thunder down. He and Remus opened their arms to hug her. She dove right in, as if she hadn't seen him all summer. Sirius chuckled. "I missed you too."

"I didn't open my dress, but I'm sure I'll love it even more than before— and tell Chloe that Hermione's is amazing, but, more importantly, how did she managed to make our dresses, Ginny's, and robes for Ron, Fred, and George? You know what?" Siria shook her head and bear hugged Sirius. "I'm just glad to see you before term started." She heard Remus whisper something that sounded an awful lot like "told you so."

Sirius patted his daughter's head. "Yes, well, we're coming to the station tomorrow. I just wanted to check on you."

"Check on me?" Siria asked and looked up at him. He looked over the top of her head, to Hermione who was at the bottom of the stairs with Ron.

"Any nightmares?" He asked Hermione. Siria gasped and punched Sirius's shoulder.

"Really?" She asked.

"No." Hermione answered Sirius.

"I could have told you that!" Siria snapped and sat down.

"We're just worried," Remus told Siria. He spared her a smile.

Mrs. Weasley clicked her tongue and marched the stairs. "Up!" She called at Hermione and Ron, "Come, now." Hermione and Ron looked to Siria, who watched them walk with slow and hesitant steps until they were out of sight. She sat while Sirius knelt beside her chair.

"Princess," Sirius smirked up at her. Though he had a playful air about him, she could feel the gravity of the situation. Even without the logic books, she knew enough about social cues to understand. Her history of run ins with Tom Riddle certainly didn't help.

"If I have any, I'll write you." Siria grumbled while she watched the floor. She knew the nightmares didn't make Sirius and Remus didn't think any less of her, but she felt less of herself. Afterall, she was in Gryffindor, wasn't she supposed to be brave? Her green eyes wandered from the floor to her hands. "And see Madam Pomfrey" she muttered in hardly a whisper.

"Thank you." Sirius extended his hands. Siria rolled her eyes, but put her hands into his. "I know it isn't easy to talk about them and I really appreciate you making an effort." His thumbs stroked the backs of her hands. "There's going to be a lot happening at Hogwarts this year— more than boys and girls and your classes…" Sirius's smile strained. "As much as you can, be safe. Please."

"Why so serious, Sirius?" She forced a faint smile with the quiet line. Though he mirrored her smile, his silver eyes clung to their worry.

"Because trouble has a knack for finding my very brave, very strong daughter." He confessed. Siria tried to shrug away her embarrassment.

Remus was pretending to be far more interested in the grandfather clock than reasonable. He had seen the clock several times since the World Cup and probably several more before it. Knowing his feigned interest was for her sake, made Siria feel slightly relieved but also more aware.

"If you keep being so worried, they'll be calling you Sirius Grey." Siria joked. Remus coughed to hide his laugh, but it was drown by Sirius's laugh.

"If you keep getting into trouble, they'll be calling you Siria Probably-Grounded." He retorted.

"Mine was better." said Siria.

"It was." He smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow and will write Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore tonight."

"Dumbledore!" Siria cried. "You're going to tell the Headmaster when I have nightmares?"

"Siria," Sirius tsked. She pulled her hands from his grasp and crossed her arms.

"Sirius!" Siria tsked back.

"Your nightmares aren't always like other people's. When Voldemort comes back, you're our warning call." He reasoned. She opened her mouth to argue, but the fact he said "when" and not "if" hit her. Tom Riddle's return was a guarantee to him. It was why she spent the first weeks of summer running around with him and Remus or else at Hogwarts. They weren't taking precautions for if Tom Riddle returned… they were preparing for his return.

"Fine." Siria agreed. "I— I will let you, Dumbledore, and Madam Pomfrey know."

"Good." Sirius rose to his feet and patted Siria's wild hair. "Though, at school, you may want to call him 'Professor' or 'Headmaster'."