DISCLAIMER: you know the drill. I own nothing.
To anonymous reviewer person: yes, the story will mostly take place during the Order of the Pheonix.
This first chapter might be a little boring, but I swear it'll get better. It's setting the stage for future events. I hope you all like it! :)
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I rushed about my unusually messy flat, throwing on a set of deep maroon robes that clashed perfectly with my golden amber eyes. I was heading to Diagon Alley to have lunch with my best friend, Nymphadora Tonks. She was the only one in his family I could stand, she being just a few years younger than me, and not resolutely evil like the rest of her relatives. Her mother, Andromeda, had been so helpful over the few troublesome years I'd had, bringing Tonks and I ever closer together.
Glancing in the mirror, I saw the bags under my eyes and shuddered involuntarily. The nightmares had been worse than usual last night. In an attempt to make my appearance slightly less frightening, I pinned my long, inky black hair up on one side with a barrette. It would have for to for now, I was already late.
Stepping into the sitting room, I focused on my lunch with Tonks, put all nightmares of of my mind, and apparated into the Leaky Cauldron.
I spotted her instantly, with her trademark bubblegum pink hair in a spiky disarray around her head.
"Tonks!" I hurried over to her, where she sat alone by the bar. Trying not to squeal like a little girl, I plopped down on a stool beside her, grinning broadly.
Due to her Auror training, Tonks and I had been deprived of time together, but gladly things had calmed down some.
Tonks, upon seeing me, was less capable of hiding her enthusiasm.
"Saylie!" She shrieked, knocking over her stool as she jumped up to give me a hug.
"How are you?" I asked excitedly. "How's work been?"
"I'm great, work's great, everything's great! How are you?" She had asked the common courtesy question, but we both knew it went deeper than that.
Tonks had been the one to tell me straight away when Black escaped from Azkaban. She too had believed Sirius was a disturbed murderer, and she was his own cousin. She had been one of the first to know about his escape because of her position at the ministry. I had been more nauseated than scared at that piece of news, but that was nothing compared to how I felt at the beginning of last year.
I remember Tonks sending her chameleon patronus over to my flat, asking if it was alright to chat. Of course, I told her to come right over, and when she did, she seemed uncharacteristically worried and edgy. When I asked what was up, she sat me down and landed the blow:
Sirius Black was innocent. James and Lily Potter were forced to go into hiding while Voldemort was in power, knowing he was after them. Sirius was to be secret keeper for their Fidelius charm, but had convinced James to switch to Peter instead, thinking Voldemort wouldn't dream of going for Pettigrew. But Peter had betrayed them all.
My fury at Sirius had started to bubble up then, but Tonks had only just begun; the night Lily and James died, Black had gone to check on Peter. When he saw Peter had disappeared, he immediately went to the Potters', finding their lifeless bodies and destroyed house...
At this point in the tale, the anger was burning through every vein in my body. He had lied to me. He had never told me about Lily and James going into hiding, or even about their deaths. The night he went to check on Peter, he told me he would be back soon, saying he had to run an errand. I had found out my best friend had died many days later, then realized I had been left completely in the dark. Sirius had only gone straight to find Peter, but was framed when Pettigrew faked his own death.
Black had completely disappeared after he'd told me he'd run an errand and be back in an hour. I had sat around for two days, tearful, trying to find out what had happened to him.
And the next thing I'd heard about my so-called "love" was that he'd been hauled off to Azkaban for handing over the Potters to Voldemort and for the murder of Peter Pettigrew and several muggles.
While grieving for Lily, who had been my best friend all through Hogwarts, and James, who had been betrayed by his own "best friend", it had been hard to believe Black was innocent.
But Albus Dumbledore had believed it, and if you couldn't trust Dumbledore, there was no one else you could trust.
Even after I had decided to believe he was innocent, I would not agree to see him, as Tonks had suggested many times. I was not convinced he even wanted to see me, not to mention the fact that he had still lied to me, still worried me sick those days he disappeared. He had still hurt me deeply...
All those years at Hogwarts, trying to convince me he was trustworthy, despite his reputation, had mounted to nothing in the end. He was a liar. And I could never forgive him.
I jolted out of my reverie as the bartender, Tom, slammed down a glass he had been cleaning out.
"Oh, I've been fine, Tonks, fine," I said, smiling at her genuinely. Over the years, I had become quite good at acting cheerful, as if everything was fine. Even if it wasn't.
"Good." She sounded satisfied with my lie. "You look tired," She mused, waving Tom over and ordering us two butterbeers. I just shrugged, grabbing hold of the drink Tom held out to me, and taking a swig.
The truth was, ever since I'd learned Sirius was innocent, I'd had re-occuring nightmares. They'd all start out with a different flashback of Sirius and I, when we were young and happy. But it would always end the same way: dementors gliding through the happiness with their gloom, taking Sirius away with them as I suffocated in memories and sorrows, screaming into consciousness.
"Where did you say you were working again?" I asked, partly out of curiosity, and partly to change the subject.
"Oh, I, er, didn't say." Tonks suddenly looked nervous. I waited for a minute, but she stayed silent.
"Well?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.
"Well, what?"
"Your job! Where do you do your Auror work these days?" Although I wasn't an Auror (I preferred being a Healer at Saint Mungo's, myself) I knew how to fight and duel pretty well, with and without wands. I could only imagine how Tonks was, despite her dead clumsiness. She'd had loads of training.
"Well," Tonks hesitated with a sly smile. "I'm sure you'll find out eventually."
"Find what out?" I asked, perplexed.
"About my job," Tonks said. "But now's not a good time to discuss it, really."
Realizing she wouldn't say anymore, I sipped my drink suspiciously. Why was it such a big secret?
"Oh, don't give me that look!" She laughed. I put on my most innocent face, which only made her roll her eyes dramatically.
"Don't worry...you'll find out soon enough."
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The rest of the day with Tonks went by a bit too quickly for my liking. It seemed like I had just gotten there, and I was already saying goodbye.
"Promise we'll do this again soon?" I said wistfully, hugging her before we departed.
"I promise," Tonks said with a devious little smirk. "Besides, I'm sure I'll be seeing you sooner than you think." I narrowed my eyes at her laughing form, but before I could say another word, she vanished with a pop!
Apparating back to my flat, I swiftly tidied up with a wave of my wand, without even realizing what I was doing. I was slightly annoyed at how obsessive compulsive I had become. Before I could decide which item to put back into its improper place, there was a tap at my kitchen window.
I hurried into the cheerful room, with its bright yellow walls that reminded me of sunshine and its small set of table and chairs, sure enough spotting an owl with the Daily Prophet clutched in its beak. Grabbing my money purse off the counter, I opened the window and the tawny owl came fluttering in.
"Here you are," I spoke to it, placing a bronze knut in the bag tied to its leg. "Thank you!" The owl didn't even look at me as it flew back out the window and into the sky. Opening up the paper slowly, I wondered what rubbish they'd printed out today. A look at the front page told me they had not yet seen the light about Voldemort returning.
Progress Reported By Ministry Officials:
Dementors All Accounted For.
The Minister of Magic has informed reporters that all of the dementors have been well accounted for at the wizard prison, Azkaban. "Any rumors that are going around," Reporters quoted Cornelius Fudge. "Are absolutely false. All of the dementors are stationed at their posts and have not left the cells they guard, even for a minute." Lets just hope our own Minister of Magic isn't pulling a Harry Potter on us, shall we?
I flipped the page over nastily, without bothering to finish the article. I searched for something else to read, seething at the Minister's foolishness. Why couldn't the imbecile's at the Prophet leave that boy alone? I had heard about the dementor attack on Harry Potter from Tonks, and about the hearing that was to take place on August twelfth. I knew he was Black's godson, but I didn't hold that against him. The Prophet needed to print news of more importance - like the fact that dementors had broken away from Azkaban and were now attacking unsuspecting witches, wizards and muggles. Any snide comments about Harry Potter were not necessary or true; He told Dumbledore that Voldemort had returned - and if that was good enough for Albus Dumbledore, then it was good enough for me. Speaking of Dumbledore...there was a small article on the genius professor, but it was not exactly pleasant. From the gist of my skimming, it seemed that Dumbledore had his Order of Merlin, First Class seized from him, and he had been voted off the Wizengamot as well. My rage with the Ministry full blown now, I was surprised I didn't hear the footsteps on my front steps.
When the knock came upon my door, I jumped a little, looking around. These were dangerous times, after all. Scurrying towards the living room, I peeked out the window that was situated next to the door, gawking when I finally realized who it was.
I hastened towards the living room, yanking open the chain lock when I got to the door and opening it quickly to reveal the headmaster of Hogwarts standing outside my front door.
"Professor Dumbledore, sir," I said, still surprised.
"Ah, Saylie," Dumbledore smiled, his brilliantly blue eyes twinkling in his wrinkled face. He had on flowing midnight blue robes with his long white beard tucked into the belt, his hair equally as long. "I'm so sorry to bother you with my presence, without even calling beforehand."
"Oh, not at all," I said, becoming flustered. Had I done something wrong? Why would he want see me? Why would he come to my flat, decked out in wizards' robes, in broad daylight? Was someone injured...or worse? The last thought that flashed through my head had my stomach rolling uncomfortably; was Sirius all right? I banished that thought as quickly as it came, angry at myself for even caring. "Please, come in. Is everything...?" My voice trailed off uncertainly as I held open the door widely.
"Everything is fine," He said calmly. "As fine as anything can be these days." Dumblebore walked over the threshold with a grateful expression, ducking his tall body against the doorframe and smiling slightly.
"You have a lovely home, Saylie," He said conversationally.
"Thank you, sir," I said quietly. I was still wondering why he was here, but I couldn't rush Dumbledore into it. I lead him into the living room, gesturing towards the couches and armchairs.
"You must be wondering," He spoke again, following me, and finally sitting upon the sofa. "Why I am here, correct?" I nodded sheepishly. He gazed at me seriously for a moment, and then spoke in a very grave voice. "I was hoping we could have a word. Have you ever heard of an organization called the Order of the Pheonix?"