I'm sorry if Dumbledore seems like a bit of a bastard in this chapter - also, bit late; Happy New Year Guys! Please don't shoot me for uploading this fic really late.

Charlie Pov

There hadn't been much going on in 12 Grimmauld Place for the past week, only Bella sorting through old documents and working on clearing Sirius' name.

I stood in the corner of the kitchen sipping a glass of Firewhiskey slowly whilst mulling over recent events. At least I was until Harry walked in and noticed Bella going through several important documents that had belonged to Sirius.

"What are you doing with those?" He snapped.

"Sorting." My girlfriend answered shortly

"And what right do you have to do that?"

"As owner of this house and Sirius' last relative that hasn't shunned him." Bella looked up to glare at the boy in front of her.

"You don't own this house."

"Says who?" She asked without any real interest, turning back to the work in front of her.

Apparently the fact Bella didn't care hadn't quite sank into Harry's head, "Says Dumbledore." The kid looked seriously impressed with himself obviously thinking he had won this "argument", poor thing.

"Yes well Dumbledore is mistaken." She murmured, a frown creased her face slightly before she pulled the quill from behind her ear and scratched something onto a piece of parchment covered in words and numbers. "Besides, Dumbledore is not the one going through Sirius' will, documents and bills along with all the crap from the ministry to clear his name."

"But Dumbledore said that Sirius left me the house?" Harry questioned now calmer.

"Yes, technically he did. But Dumbledore left out what he considers the minor details." She told him without looking up. "Until you are of age, I own the house and am in control of Sirius' Gringotts vault, the larger portion of the Potter family fortune and Potter Manor, all of which will be yours to take over when you hit 17."

"But why you?" He whined, "You didn't know Sirius like I did. Hell, I doubt you knew him at all."

"I knew Sirius far better than you think. Do not strut into this room like a peacock and tell me you know him better than I did." She hissed at him menacingly.

Harry continued as if he hadn't heard her, "Nobody but me and Lupin really know him."

"I knew my uncle for far more years than the likes of you. You, Potter have only known him barely 2 years. This, what you feel, yes its grief." She paused and stood from her seat. "But it's not real grief."

"What do you know of grief?" He asked darkly.

Bella's laugh was harsh and unfeeling; I saw Ron and Hermione flinch as they entered the room, "What do I know of grief?" She repeated coldly, "A great sight more than you do boy, that's for sure."

"My parents are dead!" He shouted.

"As are mine." She responded flatly, "But do you know the difference between us?" Harry shook his head out of anger or as a response I couldn't tell. "I knew my parents."

"How dare you?" He pulled out his wand and I was about to do the same when I noticed Bella hadn't even twitched in slightest.

"Feel free to hex me Harry but you know that I am right." They were beginning to attract an audience; Snape, Fred and Georg, Ron, Hermione, Tonks and Lupin had all gathered just inside the doorway. "You know that you can't grieve or hurt properly over the fact they are dead because you didn't know them. You have nothing, no clear memories, only a few meagre pictures and what everyone else tells you."

The dark haired boy's hand began to shake as he faltered. "You didn't know your parents. You didn't know Sirius. And that Harry is where our differences lie."

"We are nothing alike." He exclaimed with renewed anger.

"On the contrary Harry; you and I are more alike than you think. We have both lost more than necessary to this war and the last, we've lost family and friends and we are going to lose even more in the future. But everyone has a choice Harry," She murmured softly, "Either we lose ourselves to pain and despair and forget how to truly live or," She tilted her head and stared thoughtfully at him, "You stand up, push forward and grieve as we continue. I choose the latter but what about you?"

Harry's only response was to glare and hope to intimidate, "Don't lose yourself in a past you know nothing of boy." Bella shook her head, "Not when there is so much more waiting ahead. It's not worth it." Harry rushed from the room, the audience that had gathered parting for him like the red sea.

An enraged Dumbledore ordered everyone to leave the room however I stayed in the corner still sipping my drink and Snape lent against the door frame, arms crossed. "What was that little show about?" He asked angrily.

"Letting that arrogant child know that he is not the only one hurt over Sirius' death." She answered coldly.

Dumbledore began to pace and we all watched as he stalked back and forth like a caged animal, "Harry has lost much to Voldemort and his followers."

"And I haven't Dumbledore?" She glared murderously at his back, "He isn't the only one to have lost people or need I remind you of the blackened ash they identified as my family and the mutilated corpse of my brother. Or how about Gideon and Fabian?" I sank further into the corner when she mentioned my uncles, "Frank and Alice? Perhaps the barely recognisable skeletons of Charlotte and Alexander? Nicholas? Or maybe even Adomir?" At the mention of his uncle Snape flinched slightly. "We, those who've lost, find these memories far more haunting than his little scar and the memory of a scream."

"Now that's just-"

"Did you forget Molly's reaction to losing her brothers? Because I certainly haven't, not even after 8 years, or perhaps Severus' reaction at seeing the fire?" I hadn't seen Snape when he saw the fire nor did I see him for a long while after apparently though Bella had been there. Dumbledore had stopped midstride to watch Bella's face as she spoke. "Minerva was inconsolable for weeks when she saw what happened to Nicholas and Remus had to be admitted into St Mungo's when he saw his parents! Harry is not the only one to have loved and lost." She told him sitting back down.

"The boy just lost his godfather!" The man snapped.

"Yes he did. But Sirius was also my uncle and Remus' best friend. What I told him, its better he hear it from someone he dislikes already rather than someone he's close to."

"Do you not care about him?" Dumbledore asked incredulously.

She looked back at several pieces of parchment with a frown before answering without looking up at him, "Personally I couldn't care less what happens to the lad. I do not wish him dead of course but if his death ended this war and Voldemort's reign of terror once and for all, it would be a sacrifice I am willing to make with little to no regret."

Dumbledore followed Harry's example after Bella's statement and left the room. Snape nodded to me and glanced at my girlfriend, who didn't notice for she had returned her focus to the parchment covered in numbers, before leaving as well. When I was certain we were alone I walked up behind her and wrapped my arms around her in a hug.

I felt her relax into my chest with a sigh, "Was I acting too much like a bitch?" She mumbled as she carried on working.

I looked over the parchment which all looked like gibberish to me, "No." I answered firmly.

"So I was then?" I caught her small, sarcastic grin from the corner of my eye.

"Yes, the biggest bitch in history."

"Glad to see I still hold the record." She kissed my cheek gently before scribbling more numbers onto the piece of parchment. "You have no idea what all of this is do you?"

"Not in the slightest. Care to explain to your oh so woefully ignorant boyfriend, Copil(1)?" I asked.

She laughed again; it was more real than I had heard in days, "That there are his bills, well more family bills that need to be paid, his will, and Ministry documents, this sheet here," she tapped her quill on the one filled with numbers, "Is what I'm using to work out prices and his vault money."

"Okay, I'm still woefully ignorant; it will take you weeks to explain to me." I tilted her chin and kissed her lips, "I'm going to spend some time with Fred and George, wanna come with me?"

She smiled softly and shook her head before digging out another piece of parchment again covered in numbers, "Give this to the boys for me?"

"What is it?" I asked suspiciously as I took it from her hand.

"Stuff for their joke shop that required female brain power." She kissed me again before muttering against my lips, "Now off you pop, Dragă(2)."

– Copil Baby

– Dragă Darling

Okay so this was quite dark but became a little bit fluffy towards the end. A reader (I'm sorry, I can't remember who) informed me previously that copil meaning baby in Romanian literally means a human baby, but unfortunately I am to lazy to find an alternative. I shall attempt to refrain from using it again in later chapters x