Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
He Thinks to much. Such men are dangerous.
-William Shakespeare
Julius Cesar
2. Blood and Memories
A tall, slender woman walked down the hallway, heels clicking on the marble floor. She was wearing a deep blue skirt and jacket suit matching the exact shade of her eyes. Just as she was about to push the doors open when a rather short, dumpy woman stopped her.
"Amaya, hold on I've got you an invite here from the President." Amaya turned quickly her white-blonde hair flipping around her shoulders.
"Thanks Angie." The woman, Angie, whipped back into her office and came back out with a parchment style letter.
"Yours was the first to arrive. Seeing as how owls have been banned from the hallways, they all come to me."
Angie smiled, her brown hair accenting her face nicely. "See you on Monday. We have some wild hippogriffs in Dorchester County that needs to be sorted out."
Amaya smiled, "Sure, lunch same time on Thursday?"
"Yes of course."
The two women said their goodbyes and parted ways outside the building. The click clack of heels on cement made a harsh tempo as Amaya climbed up the stairs of the parking garage to her car.
She unlocked the car and placed the key in the ignition, listening to the compact car hum to life. She placed her purse and her files, letter on top of these, in the passenger seat and backed out of the parking space.
She pulled out of the parking garage, paid her fee, and pulled out onto a cobbled road. It was one of the many roads of Downtown Charleston that was still cobbled. It provided the city with a sense of age, having been one of the major sea ports when it was still a young British colony.
She navigated the roads and traffic, passing the market and the delicious little candy shop with Italian ice cream. She turned onto the interstate. She gripped the steering wheel as began to feel a steady sense of dread. Her stomach clenched, and she felt like she needed to regurgitate her lunch.
Blinking, Amaya drove on, pulling off at her exit. The next ten minutes she drove in silence, listening to a song on the radio.
Tapping her fingers in rhythm, she found herself thinking about England. She stared down the highway, thinking about lost friends.
A clap of thunder snapped her out of her daze, sending her into a flustered frenzy. Amaya shook her head and concentrated on driving in the now pouring autumn rain. The wind was howling around her car as she pulled off at the Summerville Exit. The swap, swap, swap of the windshield wipers droned in false harmony with the radio station, oblivious to the change in melodies.
Passing Wassamassaw Community, she frowned at the dreary expanse of land. The worst place I ever saw;that was what Wassamassaw means in one of the various variations of Native American language. It was the largest word spelt the same way backwards, and home of a magical beings sanctuary.
Driving past the magic-laced place, into the Sandridge side of Ridgeville, she pulled into her driveway, feeling the wards of her property pass over her car. Shivering slightly from the sensation, she parked in the garage, the door sliding shut behind her. Taking the files and her purse, she slid out of the car and walked into her house.
The house itself was of simple beauty, marking it of new-ancient architecture. Furnished in homey upholstery, it was a nice quiet place to come home to after a long days work.
Amaya placed her keys on a table by the door, kicking the door shut at the same time. After slipping off her shoes, she made her way to her office, to place the files in their right folders.
Running her fingers through her hair she sighed, sitting in the chair behind a mahogany desk. Amaya looked at the letter with a contempt annoyance.
Picking it up, she popped the wax seal, opening the English style parchment.
Amaya De Frayne
Head of Carolina Magical Beings Protection
29 October 1981
Ms. Amaya De Frayne,
You are cordially invited to the annual Ball, hosted by U.M.A. The Ball will take place December fifteenth of the current year. Black tie is required. Respond accordingly with your acceptance as soon as proper.
Sincerely,
Melenoy Kistrival
U.M.A. Secretary
Sylverien Westfall
President of U.M.A.
Amaya cast the letter on the desk top before leaning back and closing her eyes. Damned government, how could anyone stay away from politics?
Sighing, Amaya held the bridge of her nose, trying to hold off a headache. Something was wrong and it wasn't from bad food or a long days work.
Jolting upright from chair she pulled open her desk drawer, scrambling around inside for something. A moment later she extruded a mirror, glowing a pale red. Amaya whispered her name into its face, and a moment latter found herself looking at the face of her old friend.
"Sirius, what is wrong?" Sirius's face was a mask, showing none of the former cheerfulness that it had always had. The image in the mirror blinked.
"Amaya, Jame… and…" He stuttered out the few words, enough for Amaya to know what happened. "No! Oh Sirius, how?" She held her hand to her mouth, in shock.
Sirius just shook his head. Amaya could feel a tear falling down her face. "Harry also?" All Sirius would do would shake his head.
"I am coming right now, where are you?" Sirius looked at her startled. "No Amaya, you must not come back here, not yet." He paused slightly as he adjusted his mirror. "No, can I come to you in America?"
Amaya stared at him. "Of course Sirius, when are you coming?" Sirius looked around him. "Now if you wouldn't mind." She nodded and Sirius blew her a kiss.
She whispered her name into the mirror to disable it as Sirius disabled his. She leapt from the chair she had fallen into at one point or another during the mirror conversation, to get one of the guest bedrooms ready. Opening the door down the hallway from her office she placed some towels in the bathroom and made sure necessities, such as toilet paper, was fully stocked.
The room was in order by the time she heard the hum of the motorcycle, and the thump as it landed on the driveway. She ran out to the garage, opening it so he could park. Sirius drove into the garage, covered in robes and water repellant charms.
"Sirius, I am so glad you are safe." Amaya hugged him and realized that he had something in his arms. "Sirius, what did you bring?"
"Lets get inside; I will explain it to you." The guarded look in Sirius's eyes made her agree without complaint. Normally she would have pestered him until he told her outright but when she saw the look in his eyes she knew she shouldn't.
"Go inside and you will tell me over a cup of coffee."
Sirius walked inside, taking off his rain cloak and placing it on a hook. Amaya pushed him in the direction of the kitchen. Sirius sat down at the table while Amaya started up the coffee maker. Turning around she leaned against the counter. "So..?"
Sirius moved his arms. A child of about fifteen months with soft black hair was in his arms. Amaya raised her hand to her mouth speechless. "Si-.." Sirius blinked wildly and clutched the sleeping child to him.
"Amaya, listen to me. This was Harry Potter." Sirius started at Amaya, desperately searching for acceptance. "I made a Blood Oath to James that I would take care of Harry as my own." He paused searching for words. "I..- I, the Oath requires you to actually change the identity of the child and… well, he is Damien Velon Black now."
Amaya blinked, her eyes wide. "I.. bu- Oh Sirius." Her shoulders sagged. "You need someone to help you, don't you?" Sirius looked down, guilty. "Very well, we need to gain the official paperwork."
The blonde walked down the hall to her office. Sirius followed with Damien and a cup of black coffee. Amaya scrambled around in one of the filing cabinets and produced a manila folder. Moving the paperwork off her desk, she dispersed the documents on the mahogany.
"These are the records from the birth of my son. By law I, as legal blood parent have the right to change my child's name within the first three years of his life." Sirius gave her a startled look. "Since when did you have a child?"
She looked up at Sirius. "Since that time when we got drunk enough to be under the influence. Normally I can handle my drink far better than the average being but someone," she glared at Sirius, "kept refilling my glass when I wasn't looking."
Sirius smirked at her for a few moments. Recognition dawned on his face as he interpreted her words. "You mean…, I am a father?" Amaya rose an eyebrow.
"Yes Sirius, I will tell you about it later. Now let us get back to the task at hand. I shall change his name." She pulled a dagger out of her desk and removed it from its sheaf. Sirius whistled at the blade. "Obsidian hmn? Beautiful craftsmanship." Amaya silently snarled as she tore the dagger across the top of her arm.
Blood welted from the self-inflicted wound and she shook her arm, watching the drops fall on the documentation. She wiped the blade on the parchment and placed it back in its sheaf. She lowered her head to the paper and placed her lips in the blood. A bright blood red glow surrounded her as she finished the ritual. She lifted her head to watch the writing change, her lips painted with her blood.
The writing on the document began to move, siphoning the blood into the ink. Amaya took a blood red quill (the only one on the desk) and wrote Damien Velon Black into the blood.
Straighting herself she blew on the parchment, making the change permanent. The blood sunk into the letters, and the writing grew still and dry. The red glow materialized into the form of a young child, almost identical to child in Sirius's arms. The glowing child transformed into a small wolf and leapt into Damien.
The child stirred, opening his eyes. The pale blue eyes stared at the ceiling as the red glow made its way through his veins. Damien shivered as the glow dimmed, leaving Sirius and Amaya in the dark.
"Amaya, what just happened?" Amaya smiled as she licked the blood off her lips. "I just made him my child. Because I am not a 'pureblooded' wizard, my child is not required to have regular checkups until the age of seven. Damien has acquired some of my dormant magical traits. That was the wolf you saw."
Sirius looked down at Damien, brushing his black hair from his face. "Amaya, thank you."
"Dumbledore, Professor Dumbledore! The Potters, they… they were murdered!" The husky voice of the half-giant fell into a self-contained sob. He dabbed at his eyes with a cloth, avoiding his wire-like hair.
Dumbledore, who was wearing ridiculously hideous violet robes, lifted his wand to repair the door that the large man before him destroyed. His blue eyes were twinkling behind half-moon spectacles. "Hagrid please sit down, but due pray, tell me what you saw."
Hagrid shuddered, grasping his pink umbrella tightly. He took the offered seat as he started describing what he saw. "The house was destroyed. James a'd Lily, ev'n po'r Harry. They was good people. Di'dn't deserve death."
Dumbledore sat down, staring at Hagrid. "Hagrid, would you allow me to look at your memory of the house? It would better help the understanding of an old man."
Hagrid nodded and Dumbledore drew the memory from the man. The silver wisp of memory was placed within a crystal bottle, which Dumbledore corked and placed within a pocket of his robe. "I am sorry to have to do this my fine friend."
Dumbledore raised his wand and cast Oblivateon the giant. The man slouched in his chair before awakening. Hagrid looked around the office, unsure of what happened. His gruff voice voiced his concerns. "Headmaster, what happened?"
Dumbledore shook his head, eyes twinkling with radiance. "We were just discussing the grounds Hagrid, do not worry, the forest will remain a haven to those who need it."
Hagrid blinked before nodding. "Al'rigt sir, I best be back to me house." The large man made his way to the office door and down the stairs. Dumbledore sat, staring at the door until the footsteps of the man could no longer be heard.
"Thank you Hagrid, I could not have done this without you." Dumbledore fingered the memory bottle, which he labeled as Potter House, 1981, Hagrid.
Watching Hagrid's memory, Dumbledore's original worry did not pass. The prophecy did not pertain to the Potters, that was obvious. But how Voldemort was able to get the location was more depressing. Sirius, having been the Potters secret keeper would be headed off to Askaban soon, and with this being a time of war, a trial was not required.
Putting the memory back in its bottle, he swept to his fireplace, a pinch of green dust in his hands. Throwing the dust into flames he stepped inside, careful to keep the few remaining flares of orange flame from lapping at his robes. "Ministry of Magic" and he disappeared from the office in a blasé.
A/N: Here is the new chapter. The outline I have is very, choppy so I am working through the kinks right now.
-Hand steroids