A/N - Nymphadora is older in this Fic, because I needed her for some little parts here and there and as time goes on it is just easier to have her over Hogwarts age. So she is nineteen. She is in this chapter, along with everyone else and a few more push along O.C's this one will be recurring but quite insignificant in the long run. ENJOY THE CHAPTER
Disclamer: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER
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p.s - I added like a paragraph or two to the last chapter incorporating Neville you may want to go back and read over the last bit if read before the weekend. Sorry for any inconvenience.
Chapter 4:
Number 4 Privet Drive, Early Morning Halloween 1983, DD
Vernon Dudley opened his front door after making sure Marge was alright with Dudley. When he did open the door he was met by two men. One was an older gentleman whose uniform seemed to be etched into his skin. Beside him a young man who was no doubt a trainee with his awkward stance and darting eyes as he watched the interaction. Well, either he was a trainee or nervous by nature, the later however seemed to be a bad quality for a police constable.
"Vernon Dursley."
"Yes Sir,"
"We were called about a child."
"Yes he is in the kitchen. I woke this morning and found him attempting to cook. He cannot be more than two at the most," He said leading the men into the kitchen he saw a dart of red as the boy ran from the table knocking the bowl down in the process spilling milk and cereal all over the floor as he resumed the position he had been in before. Both of the police constables looked on in surprise. Vernon just sighed as he went to clean the mess the milk had made. The older constable instructed his partner to watch the man as he approached the shaking child. He reached to touch the boy who promptly lost the meager amount of food he had shoved in his mouth over the man's uniform. Soon after he regurgitated his food he began to shake slightly before he slumped against the wall in panic induced slumber. This slumber allowed the two police men to move him with little trouble. Well it with little trouble other than their own feeling of wanting to loose there lunch when their hands touched the red shirt finding a cold and sticky substance on it. They pulled the back collar of the red shirt back and saw the boy's entire body was covered in blood. Layer upon layer of whip marks lined his small the newest being no more than a day old.
Not wanting to move the boy in that state the older man had asked if Vernon had a first aid kit and spare blankets so they could make a quick and safe transfer to the hospital. Vernon nodded and appeared with a large and thick thermal shirt, slightly similar to the one the boy had been wearing but a good deal thicker.
Three year old Dudley Dursley was a large boy. He had been since birth, not fat per see rather just big boned. At the age of three he stood the height of some five year olds, and his shirt dwarfed the small boy who now was asleep in the younger constable's arms as Vernon answered questions for the elder one.
When the ambulance came and took the boy Vernon watched the two year old disappear down the street. He knew his neighbors, always ones for gossip, would speak of it but it was a very small part of him that actually cared.
When he reentered the house he was met by his scared three year old who insisted on being carried by his father. Vernon picked his son up quickly and held to him tight. To assure Dudley you know. It was not every day young children woke to sirens after all. As Vernon held to his son a bit too tightly he sent a prayer that the small boy would find his family and that when he did his family would hold him tight and not let him go. After all little boys grew up all to quickly and just holding them did not last as long as any Parent wanted it too. But even if it was fleeting it was precious and he knew he wouldn't be letting go any time soon.
Godric's Hallow, Late-Morning Halloween 1983, DD
Neville walked behind Astraea as the sixteen month old slowly climbed the stairs. When they finally got to the top Neville took the younger girls hands as they two looked around the second story. The door to the nursery was wide open and Astraea went to play with the toys, let's not forget her age. Neville held her back though. He had been told by his honorary Uncle Remus that the room with the toys had been Harry's when he attempted to enter last year. Neville tried to explain that they needed to go back and get the adults before going inside when the downstairs door opened.
"Lil," Came a call from the door way. Neville smiled letting go of Astraea's hand and running for the stairs taking them as fast as his pudgy legs would allow. When he was two steps from the bottom he launched himself at the man before him.
"UNCLE JAMIE!" The little boy yelled as the man dropped the bag of unneeded items on the couch and happily caught the boy. With a grin he spun Neville around before throwing him into the air much to the three year olds delight.
"Up I get, up, up!" Astraea said as she stood at the top of the staircase moving down ever so slowly. She stopped three steps from the top using her small hands to grab at empty air. James set Neville down and moved to up the stairs to collect the girl into his arms pretending to lug her up into the air as well. Unlike Neville James did not throw the small girl into the air rather he just made her feel like it. Before allowing her to crash into his chest, the girl giggled.
"Now where is your Aunt Lily? I am sure I left a red headed woman here somewhere." He said ticking Astraea's side and making the girl laugh.
He turned to Neville who had the most serious look drawn on his slightly cubby face. It was very out of place and exceedingly cute. James hid a grin knowing that saying as much would only anger the three year old. So he bit his lip and schooled his expression. Merlin knows he got enough attention at Hogwarts to know how to hold in laughter.
"Aunt Lily in the room we are not supposed to go in." He said pointing toward the door. James hissed in a breath. He looked down stairs to see both Marlene and Remus standing at the foot of the stairwell.
'Sorry' Marlene mouthed. A part of James wanted to snap at her but that feeling was overpowered by the fact he knew that Lily was very fragile. He also knew that Marlene and Lily were friends of convenience. They did not get along that well and because of that they often rubbed each other wrong. It was a rivalry the girls had going back to the first train ride when Marlene had come across a green haired Lily. She had laughed and asked if it was the boys doing. Severus had answered asking if she was truly friends with 'those hoodlums' Marlene did not take the insult well.
From then on every fight between Severus and the Marauder's but the girls dorm into a silent war zone as Lily and Marlene fought just as violently, though they never used more than words. After fifth year the rift had been created and it had been too large for the women to cross peacefully. They cared for each other but they were never the best of friends. The thing that truly pushed them together, other than their husbands, and made them bond was the attack on Alice. She had long been the mediator between the two women. In the two years of their close friendship they had yet to learn the correct way to dance around sensitive topics. Marlene never brought up Harry for that reason. So instead of yelling at his longtime friend he nodded and passed Astraea too her Mother before asking Neville to retreat down the stairs as well. He would go and try to console his wife. After all it was his job as a husband.
He walked right up to the door and stopped dead in his tracks. James stared ahead, the room still neat from earlier that morning ripped a hole in his already bleeding heart then poured a pound of salt on top of it. The room looked as if it was waiting for the young boy to come home, even though he never would.
"Lils'" He said as he moved to collect his wife into his arms.
"Our baby boy never got to trick or treat Jamie, he is never going to get to trick or treat, he is never going to get to trick or treat, or go to a Halloween feast." she cried. James for his part just held her close. He had no idea what tricking treats was but he guessed it was a muggle thing that happened on Halloween. Marlene had a slight obsession with muggle holidays finding them fascinating as Moony found chocolate. She must have mentioned something about it. James felt Lily shift after a few minutes as a small fist made its way in between his chest and Lily's back. He opened his eyes slightly and saw Neville curled up in his wife's lap his face pressed against her chest as he hugged her tight.
"Gran says loves helps cryin'," Neville said looking up his brown eyes locking with Lily's green and then James's hazel before hiding his face once again. "She says tea fixes cryin' too. But loves is better. Is I helping?" He asked."
"Yeah Dirt Monkey,"
"Good" Neville said with a comical huff, "I is not big enough to make tea yet." He said pulling away from her and nodding Lily pulled him back into a hug. James stood slowly pulling his wife up as well. Her own arms secure around Neville's bum so he was lifted with them. Lily then turned as the three enveloped each other in a big group hug.
"Gran says she sends her loves too. I don't know why she sends loves, you have to give it not send it. I think Gran is confeweseded," Neville said nodding his head once again.
"Nev, you are a good kid. Never change," James said ruffling the boys hair.
"O'tay." Neville said with a grin before tucking his head on Lily's collar bone and clutching her shirt with both hands. It had been a half a week since Neville had spent the day with his Godmother and he missed her. Lily tighten one arm around Neville so the other could tighten around James. In fact her arms got a bit too tight and the boy in the middle began to squirm in protest.
"Too tight! Too tight! I is not going nowhere." He said as he squirmed. James pressed a kiss to his wifes forehead before pressing one to Neville's temple. Lily's green orbs connected with his hazel in the quite agreement. Neville wasn't going anywhere, not for a long while.
Late Morning, Halloween , Surrey Police, DD
Rochelle Davey never wished she chose another profession; her father had been a high ranking constable when she was growing up after he left the army at her birth, his father walked the same path before him. Rochelle was raised in a bullpen as her father filled his paperwork out on Sunday. Her mother had left when she was quite young leaving only Rochelle, her younger brother by three years Danny and their father Daniel. Danny was thought to be the one to continue the legacy of police work. But his jumpy nature as he grew showed that he was not made for the badge his father wished to pass down.
Rochelle was much more suited for police work. It was her dream job as a small child. That was until she was eleven years old. Then she received a letter from Hogwarts. Telling her she was a witch. Her father of course did not believe the explanation at first but in the end he did all he could for his little girl. Danny had always been wary of magic. He did not hate his sister for her magic but he was not very interested in it. Though that was probably more do to the fact Danny did not like tigers and their living room coffee table turning into one was the first bout of magic he ever saw.
Rochelle lived the life she had always wanted to. She fought for what she believed, in a war against a genocidal maniac when she was in her mid-thirties, a war that was won at a price she always felt was too high. She fought in the same way against similar ideas that her Father faced in his war. Even if hers was a bit more unbelievable.
She worked as a muggle liaison to the Ministry in Surrey she took during the war to keep an eye on the muggle area. When the war ended she did not wish to leave. In two years she had risen in the ranks protecting muggles from stray attacks and doing the duty that she felt she was born to do. This is why that Halloween morning she picked up the phone in a voice that spoke of her contentment.
"Davey," Came the voice from a Constable. He was an older man one who had once trained under Rochelle's father. He was in the small group of people from the station that knew of Rochelle's 'ability'. He was the door between getting Rochelle information on the cases that she needed to take over.
"There was a call today from number 4 Privet drive, kid appeared in a locked house scared the owner something terrible. I know he is one of yours so you may want to contact the authorities on this. We have him at St. Michaels'." He said, Rochelle stood phone still attached to her ear.
"How old?" Rochelle asked, though a part of her did not wish to.
"No more than a babe, looks two, maybe two and a half at the most. Passed out before we left number four, may need professionals on this one. He is in a bad way"
"I copy. I am en-route," She said hanging the phone and grabbing her jacket and keys. Some of those who worked around her raised an eyebrow but no one commented. Her wand tucked safely in her pocket she moved to the closest deserted alley she knew and raised her wand with a disappearing pop landing in her foyer and flooing to the Ministry, not having the credentials needed for direct apperation.
Late Afternoon, Halloween, Ministry of Magic, DD
Auror Sirius Black always had hated Halloween. Even as a young boy he held no love for the date because he used to sit at his window and watch other children who seemed to be having fun while he was locked in. When he was at school it was better, he had good friends they always planned a prank on the day, that or go to death day parties thrown by Sir Nicholas, better known as Nearly Headless Nick. But as a man, after the event that took place, the date held a new hatred in his heart. The fact the Auror department had a party for half day every Halloween before the workers were sent home had the hatred at simmering point.
"What do you want Dora?" He asked scaring the nineteen year old who had walked into his office. Sirius at the moment was turned away from his door looking out the window that was too far away to reflect the door way behind him. Then and again Sirius and James had both been trainee's under Mad-Eye and there perception skills showed that training. Few got anything past the team of Potter and Black. The pink haired young adult he was addressing his second cousin who was now an Auror trainee under Shacklebolt.
"Brought you a piece of cake Siri, knew you wouldn't go to get one yourself." She said offering the chocolate cake as a piece offering.
"More like you just wanted to leave the party." He said turning with a half-smile.
"The trainees are going crazy in there. The Aurors aren't much better, no wonder James doesn't come. It is horrible in there." She said. Sirius gestured for her to sit.
"It ended a war for them. That is all they see."
"I guess, it still is horrible,"
"Ignorance is never a pretty thing Dora." He said and she nodded.
"Auror Black!" sounded a call from the door way as the Rochelle Davey pushed open the door. Her eyes traveled to Nymphadora but she shook it off in seconds.
"Constable Davey, surely you do not need assistance on simple overzealous Halloween matters."
"There's a boy, two maybe two and a half, magical, Little Writhing Surrey. From what I understand he apperated into the kitchen freaked the owners. He is in a bad way, calling for transfer immediately." she said and Sirius nodded standing up and taking his cloak and his badge from his desk along with his wand from the top right locked door.
"Where,"
"St. Micheals, we can side along."
"I know the place well. Stay here and hide out if you wish Dora, I must be going." He said as he apperated with a pop, a perk of being a full fledged Auror, the woman flooed out seconds later. Dora just sighed, that was her cousin for you. Franklin was still standing at the door staring at the girl whose hair had just gone from pink to blue.
"Goodbye then." She said waving her hand before shutting the door behind her with a huff. She walked around her cousins desk before slipping behind her cousin's desk and eating the piece of cake she had brought with a smile. After all he did say she could stay.
Rochelle Davey was glad that the only conscious person in the hospital room when she entered was Sirius Black. It was ruin her reputation if the trainee saw her week kneed practically collapsing when she saw the bare body of the small boy. He was outfitted in only a diaper to make restroom times easier and a sole blanket she knew from experience was extremely itchy.
He looked dead.
Pale skin and hair that had recently been shaved to deal with what she had been told was multiple head injuries. A gauze wrapped around his shoulder to protect from the angry bruise found there, Skin so pale the veins on his arms stood out like wayward marker that she often see her niece sport when she would paint. Blood that could not be cleaned as fast as it fell pooled against the side of his face as he laid on his side. So many wires were connected to him Rochelle was reminded of the old nursery story of Pinocchio, the only sign of life came from the machine that was pumping air in and out of the boys lungs resulting in the rising and falling of his chest. Angry red marks from whippings, some new some old, surrounded his entire body.
"Merlin," Sirius breathed from behind her as she regained her footing.
"Do you think it was an attack," She said the word Death Eater going unspoken but heard loudly. Sirius just stared ahead, He truly didn't know. Until Mungo's ran there tests he really could not know. Any diagnosis spells he knew would short out the medical system and leave the boy in an even worse state. But his gut told him this was muggle. The lash marks were too sloppy placed and inconsistent in depth to have been done by a wand, he knew wand injuries well and those were not. The concussion from what the file read looked like blunt force trauma, the internal injuries the same. Horrible but he couldn't help but think they were muggle inflicted.
"No, when can we start. We need to transfer as soon as possible. These machines' won't work much longer his magic will work against them till they shut down." He said pointing to them Rochelle just nodded.
"Yes, right away Auror Black." She said turning to leave the room. Sirius twisted his eyes away from the boy before him. This case would not be an easy case. Then and again it would not be a hard case. Because there were hard cases and then cases that invoked nightmares. These cases usually surrounded little boy dark hair and pale skin reminded him of Harry. He always worked those cases solo, or with a trainee knowing that if he had a hard time. He would never let James near the case though. The resemblance would eat him up inside. They usually weren't long winded cases either. A few weeks or so and the case would be over.
It was these cases that shook Sirius to the soul. The ones where he would get home late at night, when he would pull a sleeping Astraea into his arms holding her as if she was going to disappear. When she was very young it used to wake her and then he would sing her until she fell asleep, after putting silencing charms on the door of course. As she grew she often just re-closed her eyes when her father woke her snuggling to his embrace. Those nights he carried her into the bedroom. Marlene would always turn with a grin.
"Nightmare," She would though she knew, seeing has the charms did not go off, that Astraea had been safely asleep until he woke her.
"Yeah," He would say back.
"I don't know why I even lay her down," Marlene would then whisper with a grin as she curled up closer to his side. With Astraea on his chest and Marlene curled on his side he would always fall asleep allowing all other things to dissipate to the wayside.
"I have the transfer papers signed," Constable Davey said as she reentered the room, "do you think he will be safe to move." She asked handing the papers over as a wary looking nurse came in to take the child off of all the machines.
"Positive, thank you for your assistance Davey I will be in touch."
"No rush,"
A/N - Alright, so I lied last chapter, Harry meets Sirius earlier than expected because I decided to lump a few chapters together. I don't want to beg for reviews (hint hint) but I love feedback, so PLEASE! Press the little button right below and leave a review.