OK well how shall I say this....YOU GUYS FRIGGING ROCK THANK YOU ALL SOOOOOOOOO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS AND THE ALERTS. I'm welling up here guys...I just -sobs- I'm so happy -breaks down sobbing-....moving on from that.
Reviewers from chapter 10.
alexlee4samjeane- My loyal reviewer. I know it was a cliffy but I'm almost positive the keyword being almost that there is no more cliffies. Thanks for the comment though.
tar heels superstar- thank you for the comment superstar, welcome though.
Soccerchic-fanficfanatic13- My loyal reviewer. Reading your comments always makes me laugh. I don't think Harry and Sirius do a lot of touching in this chapter. No I haven't seen HBP and I will not be seeing it any time soon. I'll wait till it has its premier on Sky that way its free and if I find it crap I can always turn over the channel. I haven't even heard good things about it so I strongly doubt that I personally am missing out on anything.
Anyway on with the next chapter.
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"Ow."
Clutching the copper bracelet tightly in her pocket, Annabeth Evangeline Stronghold turned away from the window. The bracelet burned with furious determination; Brooklyn was in trouble something was wrong with Brooklyn. She had to get to her. She would never forgive herself if something happened to the girl who bought joy to her life for many years.
"Annabeth." The voice though rough sounded concerned "What is it love?"
"Brooklyn." She whispered "She's in trouble I have to go to her. I have to help her."
"No." Strong arms wrapped around her bare shoulders pulling her back tightly into the muscular form of the male body. "Albus would never let anything happen to her you have too trust him."
"The bracelet," She whispered "It only reacts to when she's in pain."
"Yes but maybe its emotional pain you had not felt anything for a while." The man rested his chin on her shoulder, his dark shoulder length hair ticking her neck in the process. "We'll be back there in less than a week you have nothing to worry about."
"Of course I do I lied to my niece I've never lied to her." Annabeth's ice blue eyes fluttered to a close "When she finds out about you and what we did she will never forgive me."
The man turned her around holding her by her shoulders, love and adoration shone in his grey eyes. Warmth spread throughout her body, she loved his eyes because they were the same eyes that belonged to Brooklyn her precious sweet Brooklyn.
"Annabeth she's 17 and she is in Hogwarts. There is not much we can do."
"We," She repeated "She's my niece."
"And she's mine to after all her father is my older brother." Regulas Black's grey eyes bore into Annabeth's. "I may have never met her but hearing you talk about her makes me regret leaving all those years ago. She too is my niece Annabeth and like it or not with her in your life she is in mine."
"She doesn't know you Reg, nobody knows you like I know you."
"We'll explain its not like you never actually had business over here Annabeth."
"Yes but that business ended 6 months ago, the things I've missed I raised her Regulas I helped her through everything and granted there are not many firsts left but I've been absent from her life for almost a year. A year a whole 12 months I spent away from the only child I will ever have in this life"
"You don't know this, we could-"
"No Regulas," She cut in firmly with a shake of her head. Her blonde curls bouncing with the movement. "There was a reason Amelia left Brooklyn with me something I've carried with me my entire life and nothing will change that. I have to go back OK."
She released herself from his strong hold and began moving around the large bedroom gathering her things so she could pack them away in her trunk. It was time, time to face up to what she had done time to go back to her real life and not one she had created within the space of 12 months.
"I'm coming with you," Regulas declared "I will not let you face that by yourself."
Annabeth smiled clutching her folded favourite jeans "Your a wonderful man Regulas but England is different than you remember."
"When I left England was dark and unwelcoming."
"Yes and its all that and more Voldemort is stronger than before and the world is split in two the good side and the dark side."
"You know I'm on the good side everybody I love is on the good side."
"But what about that thing" She nodded to the black skull tattoo on his left wrist with a snake coming out of its mouth like a tongue. "They will be quick to condemn you."
"Will Brooklyn because she's all that matters seeing as she's the most important person in your life?"
"I don't know," She whispered tearfully "We'll just have to wait and see."
"Yes." He began gathering his things also ready to make the trip back to the life he desperately fought and succeeded to get away from "We will." ______________________________________________________
"I'm your father Brooke."
Silence followed those four faithful words in the large oddly filled room, nobody spoke even the portraits of previous Headmasters watched silently in interest especially Sirius great-great grandfather Phineaus Nigellus Black as this involved his family line. Dumbledore could only watch in amazement Brooklyn's silent reaction was not what he had expected but Harry's dumbstruck one he had expected, both Brooklyn and Harry stared at Sirius one in surprise and the other there was no expression. Sirius was nervous that much he could read the man was fiddling with his old wedding band a nervous habit Albus only discovered a couple months back.
"Say something." Sirius whispered staring intently at two of the most important children in his life "Please."
"I don't know what to say," Harry admitted with a defeated sigh "Your daughter is my girlfriend."
"Brooklyn?"
"What can I say I knew my mum committed suicide but I guess I now know why. Your actions cost me both a mother and a father."
"Well said." The portrait of the aged white haired man crooned "Well said indeed child."
Brooklyn's gaze snapped to his "Who asked your opinion?"
"The lack of disrespect," The man muttered straightened in his chair "I you dear am your great great great grandfather Phineaus Bl-"
"I don't care who you are" She cut in angrily "I want to know who asked your opinion because I sure as hell did not ask for it. When I want it I'll ask for it but for now shut up don't speak don't even mumble because this does not concern you."
"I thought Ravenclaws were the most respectful house" Another previous headmaster muttered causing Brooklyn to chuckle as her tears began too roll down her cheeks.
"My father is the murderous Sirius Black..." She trailed of shaking her head "My aunt deserves a medal for this one."
"Brooke," Sirius started "Annabeth wanted to tell you, but she was trying to protect you, I'm a convicted felon and-"
"And a dirty liar" She spat suddenly angry "My aunt is blunt if she wanted to tell me she would have, she told me my mum killed herself why wouldn't she tell me my dad is a murderer."
"He's not a murderer Brooke," Harry said quietly "He didn't kill peter pettigrew he's an animagus just like my dad and Sirius he transformed cutting off a finger and making a explosion. He sold my parents out to Voldemort." The portraits hissed "He set up your father."
"Yea well good for him." Brooklyn crossed her legs turning in her seat so she was looking out the window at the grey sky.
"No not good for him Sirius is innocent."
"Innocent or not obviously he was bound for Azkaban if Pettigrew never did what he did and Sirius managed to kill him he would have wound up there only this time really guilty so either way I would have been parent less." She wiped her cheeks with the sleeve of her black and blue robes. "He's not my father."
"Brooke you look just like me." Sirius whispered hurt "I didn't expect you to welcome me with open arms but I kind of-"
"What" She cut in still refusing to look from the window "Expected a tearful and heartfelt plea of a lost little girl wanting to know why her father abandoned her, left her and her mother causing her mother to take her own life. Well I'm sorry I couldn't give two shits as far as I'm concerned your both as selfish as each other did she not expect that I was need my mother especially if my fathers gone but was the pain to much to bare for her delicate self."
"Brooke your mother loved you." Sirius insisted "Do not doubt that, she loved you with everything she had. I centred my life around you while your mother went to work I stayed home being a good father making sure your every needs were met."
"Yes well I find it incredibly funny that you centred your life around me yet you went to prison for your best friends. I don't know what you and Amelia were thinking of having children especially if you were this selfish no child deserves to be abandoned."
"I was abandoned." Harry spat harshly "Are my parents selfish that they sacrificed themselves for me. Is it selfish of me of wanting anything more than be in your position with one parent alive instead of none."
"No because your parents loved you enough to give up their lives for you they choose to use the last breath in their body so you could live. Your mother sacrificed herself for you to continue living but not my parents my dad tried to kill some arse for your family my mum killed herself because your family is gone and no Harry its not selfish because so far you've had my so called dad in your life keep him I have no need for him. I'm 17 I'm a legal adult what do I need a parent for everything has been done no thanks to him or anyone."
"Brooklyn," Albus started. He could see Sirius's heart breaking at her hurtful words. "You have to understand when Sirius came back he never came back only for Harry but for you as well," Brooklyn sniffed rolling her eyes "I instructed him to stay away, he never needed to interrupt your life."
"Well bully for you" She drawled forgetting the manners her aunt as raised her with. "Do you know the crap I went through the summer after our third year I'd just found out my mum committed suicide, my aunt was keeping me away from their parents and I had sex with a grown man so I could feel wanted. If you was so much of a great headmaster you would have known that I needed to know that information."
"Brooklyn!" Harry gasped surprised at her lack of respect.
"Shut up Harry I don't even want to look at you let alone hear you, you lied to me also."
"I never knew!" He protested loudly.
"So did you know he had a daughter."
"I-"
"Did you or did you not know your beloved Godfather had a daughter."
"Brooklyn I-"
"DID YOU OR DID YOU NOT KNOW HE HAD A DAUGHTER!!!" She screamed her anger finally getting the best of her. Sirius sat back bewildered this was not the same girl he watched dancing and laughing with Harry on Halloween and this was not the girl Remus praised for hours on end; this was a stressed out teenage girl well into a bitch fit.
"YES I KNEW. I ONLY FOUND OUT AT THE END OF OUR LAST SUMMER BUT I NEVER KNEW IT WAS YOU!!!"
"I don't want to hear your excuses Harry," She resigned with a shake of her head. "I don't even want to hear you I just want to be left alone. I'm missing exam prep for this."
Brooklyn stood picking up her bag wiping her face dry. All three men stared at her surprised.
"Not that this wasn't...interesting but I have exams to prepare for and-"
"I'm afraid neither of you three are going anywhere" Albus interrupted smoothly rising to his feet "I have made arrangements with your professors to discard your homework to your friends and lunch as well as dinner will be sent up during the day."
"You had no right." Brooklyn whispered.
"I had every right as Headmaster of this school now please Ms Stronghold sit down." Brooklyn stood rigid by her seat refusing to sit, Albus sighed. "I will leave Fawkes to watch over."
With that said he left the warm office closing the door firmly behind him. Brooklyn dropped back down into her seat with a defeated sigh.
"Brooke would you please just talk to me," Sirius sighed "Christmas is coming up and your aunt is coming back."
Brooklyn looked at him with a slight frown "Really."
"Yes she sent me a letter do you want to see it" He pulled it out of his jeans pocket "Because I have it."
"No it obviously was not sent to me."
He nodded stuffing it back "Do you know how long I've wanted to be within your presence I just wanted to look at you. Figure out who you looked like and I did on Halloween."
She frowned "You was at the ball?"
"Yes I was one of the people watching the ball from the wall with Remus Lupin. I watched you the both of you your behaviour towards each other. I loved watching you both it reminded me of myself and Amelia back when we was in school."
Harry smiled remembering Brooklyn's costume of the night, the ribbons in her hair, the glitter glittering away across her shoulders, the dress that hugged her chest and waist shaping itself around her lithe body and her smell; she smelled of vanilla and musk. The smell intoxicated him that night crawling into his senses just like it was doing right now.
"I made that dress." She muttered "It was the first thing I managed to complete and I had to wear it."
"It was really beautiful a little revealing but beautiful none the less," Sirius smiled "You have an amazing talent."
"Thanks."
"Have you made anything else?" He asked watching excitement flare up in her eyes.
"Not really but I've got a piece I'm in the process of making. A lot of things I make have to do with corsets of some form my aunt said I'm an old soul because my inspiration seems to come from the Marie Antoinette era."
"Marie Antoinette." He frowned "I've never heard of her."
"She was the last Queen of France. She was married to Louis XVI she got married at fourteen, she executed at the height of the French Revolution."
"Oh," He nodded "I guess I should read about her."
"If you want."
"I do want since your interested in her. Your aunt knows of your interests" She scoffed "She doesn't?"
"No something has preoccupied my aunt whenever she came back she was never really there."
"Guess we'll find out at Christmas."
"Are they coming to Christmas?" Harry asked mildly surprised
"Yep Annabeth made her requests we're to have a real tree, decorations, a good clean room for herself and Brooklyn and a Christmas dinner that would..." He trailed off chuckling
"That would what." Brooklyn asked.
"Make your mother proud Brooklyn." He finished sadly "Your mum was a fantastic cook she had a whole book on recipe things that came from around the world or that she made up. James, Lily and myself were test hamsters is it."
"Guinea pigs," Brooklyn offered softly "You were the Guinea pigs."
"Yea and we never disappointed she actually made your parents wedding cake" He nodded towards Harry "All 4 tiers, she may have worked at the ministry but she was makings plans big plans. Lily was not a great cook but she had an eye for decorating and party planning so they wanted to make a business. I can't remember the name but it was a good idea they was waiting for you both to go off to Hogwarts before starting I didn't believe it would happen neither did James guess that's why we spend countless nights sleeping on the floors of your bedrooms."
Both Brooklyn and Harry chuckled as they pictured the image, they could see it their mums stretched out in their big beds while their dads angrily tossing and turning on their bedroom floors by their cribs.
"Must have sucked." Harry smiled.
"You have no idea your bedroom Harry was bare with polished floorboards which James insisted on since he claimed you could not walk. Brooke your room had carpet I like James insisted on floorboards but Amelia won that argument. Like so many others."
"Never took you for a pushover." Harry teased
"You never knew Amelia," Brooklyn rolled her eyes. Sirius caught the look from the corner of his eyes. "Brooke I know you may not believe me but I'm just as angry at your mother and I have been for years now. I didn't expect her to do that."
"Well she did."
"Yea and like yourself I'll never forgive her for leaving you."
Brooklyn chuckled "Just like you did you mean."
Sirius shook his head, he just couldn't win with her. "Brooke no matter how I put this you'll never understand me or what I did. Harry did."
"Me and Harry are two completely different people," She pointed out. "And your right I'll never understand no matter how hard I'm trying to I'll never understand why you did what you did or what my mother did."
"I can't speak for Amelia and to be frank I don't want to she's gone but I'm not I'm here Brooke and I want to be in your life as far you'll let me." Harry pushed his chair back feeling like he was in the way. The conversation was between a desperate father and an angry daughter. "Brooke my family is not good surely you've heard of the Blacks." She nodded stiffly come on who hadn't heard of the infamous Blacks. "Well what you heard I'm sure is the truth but then some especially my mum and dad. Pureblood fanatics evil bastards the lot of them."
"Eh-hem," Phineaus cleared his throat clearly offended. "Excuse me great-great grandson of mine but I am in the room."
"I'm suppose to care because..." He trailed off looking at the portrait. Phineaus rolled his eyes huffing. "Exactly."
"You can tell you two are family." Brooklyn said smiling.
"How dare you." Phineaus demanded "You show some respect young lady."
"Why don't you come out here and make me" Brooklyn coaxed "Come on climb out of your frame and make me show you some respect. Oops I forgot you can't your a damn portrait." She rolled her eyes looking at Sirius "Continue."
"Where was I..oh yea my family is evil every Black was placed in Slytherin until I came to school I was placed in Gryffindor. Family was not happy I'd betrayed them which I guess you could say I did, I mean I became friends with James who is a pureblood but his family were married to muggles and half bloods I began seeing that the way my family saw things was not right. So every summer I'd be punished for going against my family it became worse when I openly talked about them especially James and Remus seeing as he was pureblood. Needless to say I hated them I hated everything about them I spent my summers with the Potters I saw them as my family I saw James as my brother and when Voldemort did what he did he wasn't just my friend he was my brother. He was the godfather to my first borne and find out he'd been betrayed by someone we considered to be a friend...it killed me. Honestly if I sat down to think I probably wouldn't have tried to get revenge but I'd still be known as a traitor because nobody knew we switched secret Keepers."
"Family sounds like a real treat," she breathed.
"You have no idea. Be lucky you haven't met them."
"Their alive." Her eyebrow arched in suprise "Still."
"Eh somewhat, my cousin Bellatrix her sister Narcissa Malfoy and then Andromeda Tonks"
"Malfoy" She muttered her brows furrowed in disgusted "Eww I can't stand Draco."
"You went out with him." Harry teased
"For 3 weeks Harry 3...very long and disgusting weeks urgh he's like my third cousin and I kissed him. Not little simple kisses I mean full out tongue getting a good work out kiss."
"You actually dealt with Draco Malfoy?" Sirius asked suprised
"Yea I was temporarily insane...don't hold it against me."
"Your good I accept that insane plea but it seems you have your head on better as your now going out with Harry."
"Oh please" She scoffed "We hardly spend any time together he's one end of the castle and I'm at the other."
"Well you are in different houses it would be hard. Do you see each other outside of class."
"Yea," Harry nodded "But when we do get alone time we're in the library studying I mean seriously who wants to study when their girlfriend who looks like that is seated right next to them."
"Umm ok thats enough detail I'm getting pretty grossed out here," Sirius muttered "Brooke can you tell me something about yourself,"
"Like what you already know I like to make clothes," She shrugged.
"Your favourite colour?"
"Green," He looked disgusted "Its a nice colour."
"Also the colour of Slytherin," Harry pointed out "Your ex boyfriend's house shouldn't your new colour be red or gold,"
"No."
He sat back glaring at her making her giggle. Sirius slapped his hands on his thighs.
"Ok your favourite book."
"Pride and Prejudice."
"Favourite lesson."
"Transfiguration."
"Favourite food."
"Sugar sandwitches."
"Urgh," Sirius looked disgusted "What are sugar sandwitches?"
"What it sounds like buttered bread with a little sugar sprinkled on it. Yum" She rubbed her stomach "Aunt Augusta thinks its the most disgusting thing she's witnessed me eat."
"Aunt Augusta?"
"Mrs LongBottom. Neville's grandmother I stay with them during the holidays while my aunt is away on business. We clash on a daily basis." She informed with a simple shrug.
"Well if I remember Frank's mother is not the sanest of people. A nun would clash with her." Brooklyn agreed "Ok umm favourite music?"
"A bit of everything my taste varies."
"Ok well what do you want to do when you graduate."
"I don't know I'm still trying to decide that factor" She looked at Harry "What about you?"
"I hope to be alive." Sirius frowned knowing the meaning behind Harry's words but Brooklyn however did not. "Voldemort wants me dead Brooke we both can't live in this world."
"I don't see why not you've done so so far why should it be any different?"
"Because it just is, you do know there is a war going on outside these walls right?"
"I'm not stupid Harry I know a lot about what's going on outside these castle walls." She shifted in her seat. "I know how serious it is but I just didn't think you was so involved."
"Its not like I have a choice." He whispered.
"Apparently neither do you Brooke." Sirius pointed out "When the ministry finds out your still alive both Bellatrix and Narcissa will be after you."
"Why?"
"Why not your mother is a Stronghold and your the heir to the Black Fortune there are certain things we hold in our possession Voldemort would do anything to get his hands on."
Brooklyn stared at him terrified for a moment before looking away a somber look settling on her face.
"Can I ask you some more questions?" Sirius asked hoping to change the mood.
"Of course."
"Favourite song?"
"Oh," She shook her head grinning "you'll think I'm a looser."
"Come on."
"The Pina colada song." She mumbled embarrassed as they both snorted
"Your right you are a looser" Harry grinned "You like the Pina Colada song."
"Yea its a actual intelligent song."
"Oh please," Sirius scoffed "The song is stupid you can do so much better."
"What about the weird sisters."
"Blah they give emos a bad name I don't really like wizard music or wizard anything I grew up with muggle things."
"Such as?"
"Umm well music for starters, clothes, books, magazines just lots of stuff." She began fiddling with her charm bracelet "To me wizards are kind of lazy."
"Lazy." Harry repeated "How exactly are we lazy?"
"Come on accio just get up and get it, the amount of girls I've seen shrink their skirts and stuff by your size or the size you want. With muggles they have no short cuts they have to get up and pick up the remote they search the rack of clothing for their size. If you think about it logically Wizards and witches are lazy."
"You do have a point." Sirius agreed "A far-fetched one but a point none-the-less if you sit back and give it a good think wizards are lazy."
"Told you. Umm." She stuck her tongue out at Harry childishly. Sirius chuckled resting back in his seat, he could tell Brooklyn was starting to loosen up around him.
Brooklyn rolled her eyes at Harry her grey eyes meeting the person responsible for her inheriting them from. Her father is Sirius Black. Thee Sirius Black mass murderer well apparently not but still she's from the famous Black Dynasty Cassie will be so jealous.
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