Chapter 12:
She was sitting in Dumbledore's study, her feet resting on the desk in front of her which was causing the portraits that surrounded the room to titter at her disrespect.
'Can she hear us?' one of the older portraits, a stout man with a rather impressive moustache stage whispered across the room.
Yes I can! Alina opened her mouth to reply indignantly, but no sound came out.
Her hand flew to her throat in surprise and she tried to speak again...
Hello?
Once again nothing happened.
'Nope, she's not showing any signs of a response' another portrait replied sadly, shaking his balding head as he stared sympathetically down at her.
'She's desperate to see her...'
'You know Dumbledore said that could be dangerous. We have no idea what the effects could be with her in this state'
Can you stop talking about me like I'm not here!
She attempted to snap at the gossiping portraits, but nothing happened.
Angrily, she tried to scream and the lack of sound only irritated her further. It didn't help how ridiculously hot it was in the study.
'Why's she doing that? What's wrong with her?' a rather young man called in alarm, pointing straight at her.
Sod this she thought, jumping out of her seat and storming through the office to the door.
She wasn't going to sit around listening to them talking about her, it was a load of jibberish anyway!
She went to open the door and screamed – or attempted to – as the door knob scolded her hand leaving a red burn.
The room was growing hotter and hotter, and she removed her robe, wiping her forehead which was drenched with sweat.
A loud squawk from behind her alerted her of Fawkes' presence and she turned in relief.
Fawkes, help me! I'm burning in here...
As she tried to reach out to the Phoenix with her mind a sudden and agonizing pain shot through her skull and she flinched with shock.
Simultaneously, Fawkes let out another loud squawk and erupted into flames, increasing the scorching heat of the room even further.
'Hold her down, she's having a fit!'
No I'm not! She tried to yell If you'd just turn the heat down!
The heat was growing unbearable, her clothes were soaked through and clinging to her skin, her skin was drenched with sweat and her head was in excruciating pain.
'She's going to be okay though, right? She's not going to – to – ' a hysterical outburst that sounded strangely like Sirius called across the room, and she looked up in desperation.
Help she begged silently, clutching her head to try and stem the pain.
'Sirius I don't know –' a defeated voice responded.
'She – She has to be! Alli, wake up!'
Wake up? What did he mean? I am awake! She thought in confusion trying to tear her soaking clothes off of her body to relieve herself from the intolerable heat.
'I just got her back!' he cried 'And we just got our daughter –'
Our daughter...my daughter.
All of a sudden the previous events shot back to her, what was she doing in Dumbledore's office? Nothing made sense. Where was she? Where was Sirius?
'WHERE'S MY DAUGHTER!'
The words yelled from her lungs, causing all of the Portraits to stop their panicking and turn to stare at her.
'Alli? ALLI?'
White light.
Startling white light suddenly attacked her eyes as she squinted them open.
'Not...white' she whispered 'please not white!'
'What did she say?'
'I'm not sure, something about white?'
'White? Are you sure?'
Her eyes managed to make out the blurred outline of Sirius and a tight squeeze of her hand alerted her of their entwined fingers. Gradually, the brightness of the room faded away from sheer white in her eyes and his figure became clearer making the concern plastered on his face blatantly obvious.
She attempted to squeeze his hand back reassuringly but her grip was shamefully weak, causing the slight twitch of her fingers to leave her in a worrying spell of dizziness.
She blinked, causing a spell of darkness to entomb her and sending a vibe of fear through her body, her eye lids were heavy and with each blink they fought to remain closed.
It was only Sirius' frantically moving lips, forming words of urgency that her brain was not allowing her to process that kept her fighting against the urge to close them once again.
In frustration she tossed her body, causing a painful ache to shoot from her thighs to her ribcage, but succeeded in helping her to slightly free herself from the sheets that clung to her sweating body.
Why is it so hot?
Even through the haze that surrounded her sight, she saw the worried glance that Sirius threw up at some unknown spectator standing above her.
'Hot' she managed to grumble, her voice far quieter than she had intended.
She blinked harder, trying to focus as Sirius turned once again speak to somebody standing too far away for her eyes to reach.
Who was there?
Was it her daughter?
Her heart exploded in a fit of battery against her ribcage as the thought of her daughter sprang to the forefront of her mind.
With a force that far exceeded will power, she forced her dry lips to part and with a cracked voice pushed the words out.
'Where – is – she?'
'Shh, rest' a calming voice sounded from somewhere above her, ignoring the question she had posed.
But Alina didn't want rest; she wanted her daughter.
And why is it so fucking hot!
She was unsure of whether it was something in her expression, or perhaps the strangled cry that erupted from the back of the throat, but whatever it was alerted Sirius of the anger and frustration that was pulsing through her veins. He was instantly beside her, his free hand brushing the wet hair away from her forehead and his voice finally reaching her ears in a smooth, musical tone.
'Calm down, Alli' he told her 'calm down.'
The second Sirius' fingers connected with her burning skin a faint current past through his fingertips and seeped into her cheeks, the slight tingle trickled delicately into her mind, cleansing her body with a ripple of coolness and evaporating the excruciating heat.
Unconsciously, she let out a light sigh and silently thanked God for the return of the magic she had sent to Sirius earlier.
Sirius jerked his hand away from her and let out a startled cry as the shock of the electric current shot from his fingers.
'Thank you' she croaked quietly, causing Sirius to frown in confusion before shrugging nonchalantly and throwing her a lopsided smile.
'That's all right' he grinned, and then stared at her intently, as if preparing to force honesty from her eyes before he posed his next question.
'How are you feeling?'
'Fine' she shot back instantly, ignoring the wobble of her arms as she tried to prove her answer by pulling herself up into a seated position.
Sirius made no move to prevent her movement, but merely raised a disbelieving eyebrow and she sunk back into the pillow in defeat.
'Not too great' she shrugged 'my head-'
'-should get better with some time, and after you have taken some of this' a motherly voice interrupted, and Alina looked up to be met with the sight of Molly Weasley moving swiftly towards her.
Alina crinkled her nose in disgust at the sight of the thick grey potion that Molly was holding out towards her lips, and attempted to jolt away from her which sadly only led to a wav e of pain shooting through her head.
'Come on' Sirius encouraged lightly 'you've drunk worse than that in the Hog's Head'
The faint trail of amusement was impossible for Sirius to disguise and Alina scowled, before sighing in defeat and opening her mouth for the potion.
She gulped it down in one, and gagged instantly as her stomach refused to accept the nauseating substance.
Hearing the signs of vomit, Sirius bolted out of the way and stood at the edge of the room until Alina's heaving finished.
'It's charmed to prevent the drinker from projecting it back up' Molly informed her lightly, but Alina's attention was focused on throwing Sirius dagger glares.
'Thanks for your support, darling' she hissed sarcastically, to which he grinned back in response.
'I'm supporting you, dear! Just from over here...and out of the splash zone...'
Biting back a spiteful comment, Alina begrudgingly admitted to herself that although the pain in her skull remained thumping relentlessly, her body felt stronger and she was able to tentatively sit herself up.
Moving her head in a slow, deliberate motion so as to not provoke the pains she gazed around and placed herself in a makeshift bed in the centre of the living room.
Unable to prevent herself, a cold shiver ran through her body and she had to force away the distant memory that conjured itself before her eyes.
Back on the night that Benjy had died...
When her friends had been ambushed and she had had to sit in the living room and wait.
And once they had returned, place them one by one on beds such as the one she was lying on...and tend to their injuries.
That night Sirius had been so weak...
'Sirius' she blurted, forcing the image of a shell shaken Sirius from her mind.
'Yes?' he asked, crossing the room again so that he was beside her.
'Please tell me she's all right?' her voice was soft, but laced with determination as she braced herself for the worst.
She kept her eyes steadily locked on his own and stuck out her chin in defiance as she waited for the sadness and regret to cloud his expression.
She had grown used to bad news.
During the war it seemed that all she did was wait for more and more terrible things to occur until eventually her ability to hear the worst practically became a talent.
So when the haunted shadows of Azkaban suddenly cleared from his eyes as they lit up in a way that showed a glimpse of the handsome boy she had fallen in love with she was barely able to register an emotion.
For a second she remained an empty capsule, without a shred of feeling flowing through her veins.
But gradually, as the light in his eyes shot beams of its rays into hers and his broad grin infectiously caused her lips to twist a burst of an emotion she was positive she had never before experienced exploded in her chest.
She gasped out loud, the cry breaking from her lips before her mind even registered the sound as her own. The tears fell from her eyes and the laughter bubbled from her chest as the happiness and disbelief radiated within her body.
'She's fine...in fact she's better than fine, she's amazing' Sirius' eyes sparkled and his voice slightly cracked with emotion.
Her mind faintly acknowledged the faint click of the door closing as Molly left them in privacy, but at that moment she did not care who was present to hear their joy. If she could she was stand on the roof of Grimmauld Place and announce it to the world.
My daughter is alive.
Alive!
'Where is she?' she whispered, as if she were sharing an incredibly special secret with Sirius.
'In our room, she's sleeping at the moment' he replied, and Alina scolded internally scolded her childishness as her heart skipped when he referred to his room as 'theirs.'
'-I waited with her whilst Dumbledore performed some healing charms on her...she was in a bad way' his voice darkened and his expression to match as he continued speaking and Alina felt a burst of rage ignite in her chest.
She didn't need him to continue with the details, she had a perfectly good idea of what they had done to her daughter for she had experienced it herself first hand.
I'll make them pay for it.
Her thoughts were dark, and she fully intended revenge for what she and her family had suffered because of their cruelty. But at that moment all Alina cared about was the proximity of her daughter.
'I want to see her' she glared at Sirius, daring him to try and prevent her.
She watched his eyes scan her frame, before settling on her face with an expression of uncertainty and matched his gaze with one of sheer determination.
'And just to be clear, I was not asking for your permission' she spoke quietly but firmly.
'Alli...I just think you should rest for a bit –'
'And that's exactly why you shouldn't 'just think'' she snapped, and attempted to swing her legs out of the bed.
'Fuck' she hissed, and sucked in a sharp intake of breath as a wave of pain burst through her skull in response to her movement.
Sirius' arms were around her instantly to support her and she paused for a second to allow her body to grow accustomed to the completely upright position.
'Either you help me, or eventually I will drag myself to her' she informed him through gritted teeth.
If she had not been experiencing such excruciating pain at that moment, she would have smirked in triumph at the sound of his sigh of defeat.
'Thirty years of defying any authoritative figure I come across and I manage to fall for the female version of Grindelwald...' Sirius muttered darkly and Alina snorted in indignation.
His arm wrapped around her nevertheless and pulling her tightly into the crease of his shoulder he kept a firm grasp on her as he helped her to her feet.
'You okay?' he whispered, his breath warm on her cheek, to which she nodded bleakly in response, her eyebrows furrowed.
'Let's go and see our girl' he added, and Alina felt a smile light up her face as the words sent chills down her spine.
'Let's go and see our girl' she repeated quietly, the words feeling magnificent on her tongue.
The door cracked open slowly, the low creak only increasing the nerves bubbling in the pit of her stomach.
Sirius edged them both in, stepping hesitantly.
'Any slower and we'll be going backwards Sirius' Alina grumbled, slightly impatient.
'I don't want to disturb her' he muttered back, indicating at the sleeping figure before them.
A few more steps, still at a painfully slow pace, and Alina felt her knees wobble as the sleeping face of her daughter could be seen.
Wordlessly she gazed at the girl's face, her eyes flickering over every freckle, absorbing every shade of colour in her hair and pondering over the slight frown that clouded her expression.
My hair.
My nose.
Silently she urged for the eyes to open.
Eyes that she knew would be the spitting image of her fathers'.
'So beautiful' Sirius murmured the words so softly they seemed to float out into the air and were almost inaudible in the vast space.
Alina bit her cheek, trying to force herself to contain the tears that were threatening to spill from beneath her eyelids.
'She – she's perfect' she whispered plainly.
She felt Sirius gently tug her hand, manoeuvring her into the chair placed by their daughter's bedside.
She kept her eyes trained on her daughter, terrified of even blinking in case she disappeared, and recognised the faint relief of her body as she sunk into the seat.
She was tired and her body was aching, but she could not imagine ever sleeping again. She could not imagine ever allowing the girl before her out of her sight.
'I will keep her safe' she spoke mostly to herself.
'We will keep her safe' Sirius corrected her, his voice filled with equal determination.
A small moan instantly caught their attention and the slight movement that followed had both Alina and Sirius holding their breath.
Alina leaned forward, her eyes burning in to the closed eyelids of her daughter, biting her lip in anticipation.
Another low groan sounded from the back of the girl's throat, and the eyelids began to flicker slightly.
'I think she's –'
'-Shhh' Alina hushed him, terrified that any noise could prevent the awakening of the girl.
Before her brain even registered what she was doing, she had extended her hand outwards. It was shaking violently, her entire body overcome with nerves and emotions, but she did not prevent herself from gently enclosing her daughter's palm in her own.
The second their flesh connected Alina let out a gasp as a warmth flowed through her daughter and into her own palms, spreading up her arms and seeping throughout her body.
The heat calmed her fragile emotions, leaving a sense of comfort in the place of her nerves.
This is right she realised, causing her mouth to curve into an ecstatic smile.
This is where we're supposed to be.
She let out a deep sigh of relief and instantly froze as her daughter did exactly the same, an expression of contentment replacing the previous agitation that had clouded the girl's face.
She can feel it too.
A firm hand on her shoulder connected her to Sirius and Alina was unsure whether she wanted to laugh or cry with glee at the realisation that they were all together.
Connected as one.
As a family.
Alina was unsure whether it was pure instinct, whether there was a greater force directing her or whether it was luck but something within her seemed to tell her what to do.
It was as if a hand was extending outwards from deep within her soul, aching to clasp the invisible palm of her daughter.
Forgetting about the dull ache in her head she gazed down at the teenager, whose eyes were still flickering as if unsure whether too fully open, and she silently urged her with her mind.
It's okay, open your eyes
Even in her mind, the worlds were caressed with happiness and love.
You're safe, open your eyes.
She did not feel the expected pain that would normally follow the use of her powers after she had exerted herself so fully.
She was unsure whether she even consciously pushed the words from her mind.
But she knew that her daughter had heard them.
Open your eyes darling.
Alina blinked in surprise as the unexpected voice echoed through her mind, both foreign and entirely familiar.
In their proximity, in their bonding emotions, somehow Sirius' thoughts, Sirius' pleas, were travelling through her and into their daughter.
Never, not in all of the years and everything that they had endured together, had Alina felt so entirely connected to Sirius Black.
The silence was deafening in the room as the eyes finally shot open, sending a simultaneous bolt of energy through Alina's palm, and Alina found herself finally staring directly into the eyes of her daughter.
A split second passed, the grey orbs dazed and confused, before the pupils focused...and widened...and fear clouded them entirely.
As the terror registered on her face, her body reacted instantaneously; she threw herself forwards, her whole body scrambling to escape from the bed that she was in and a mixture between a scream and a gasp choked from her throat.
'WOAH!' Sirius cried in alarm, jumping sideways to block the route of escape she was aiming for and his arms outstretched in an attempt to plea with her 'It's okay!' he told her.
The darkness in her eyes indicated that her fear had transformed into anger, and her eyes narrowed in preparation for whatever attack was to come.
Alina stayed silent for a moment. Her heart raced erratically, but a twinkle remained in her eyes at the familiar expression that she was witnessing on the girl's face.
It was an expression she had seen many times.
One of resistance, rebellion and stubbornness.
It was strange seeing it painted on the face of her daughter rather than Sirius.
'Calm down' she finally spoke, her voice soft and her mind projecting calming vibes towards the girl 'we are not going to hurt you.'
The girl quickly glanced at her, her body only slightly relaxing as a result of the vibes Alina had sent.
The glance, however, turned into a double take, and then into an outright stare.
'It – it's you!' the girl gasped in recognition, her fists uncurling 'you were there...you escaped! And then you – you'
She turned to Sirius as her memory returned and frowned as she studied his face.
'You were both there?' she questioned, as if trying to confirm her thoughts.
Silently, Sirius nodded, taking two steps slowly towards her.
'We got you away from there...we won't ever let them hurt you again' he told her.
'Last night – you said you were –'her voice grew more urgent as her head span back towards Alina 'you said you were my – my –'
'Your mum' Alina's voice came out far softer than she intended, her voice breaking slightly as she spoke.
'My –'the girl's face crumpled with emotion, and she sat backwards onto the bed, holding her head into her hands.
'And you?' she asked, her voice cracking as she slowly looked up towards Sirius.
'I'm your dad' he replied, emotion thick in his throat.
'My dad' she whispered to herself.
Sirius walked carefully towards her, moving gently so as not to alarm her, and then knelt down on the wooden floor before her.
'I know you're confused, but you don't need to know everything yet, you need to rest.' He told her softly 'you've been through a lot...'
She nodded wordlessly in response.
'Did they...what did they...' Sirius' face twisted into a frown as he pondered over how to word his question 'h-have you got a name?'
She raised her head to stare into his eyes, her own eclipsed with a sadness that broke Sirius' heart to see.
'Eversor' her haunted voice sent chills down his spine 'they called me Eversor'
A/N: Okay, so firstly I am really not impressed with this chapter so I apologise! I tried to shorten it so I could have more happen but it just wasn't working, I know it's a bit boring so I promise it will improve from here.
Now, this is where I need your thoughts and opinions because I need to know what page you are all on...
Basically, i've been asked whether this story will partly be from Eve's point of you and explore her life and relationships as well. I want to know what you would all like? Do you want to read about Eve as well or would you prefer to just stay from Alina and Sirius' point of view? It's entirely up to what I hear back from you all and i'll obviously do what the majority would like!
I was unsure myself and don't want to disappoint my readers so please tell me what you would prefer!
Thank you all so much for your reviews, you really are the best!