Well, hiiiiii everybody! It sure has been awhile hasn't it? I'm sorry to say, between work, writing my own novel, and a major writer's block with this one, it really took a toll on my mind and I needed to take a break from this story. Having reread the HP series (for about the MILLIONTH time), it reenergized my love for these characters and I decided to give it another go! I hope I do have some fans left. My thoughts were to finish this one and then re-write a part of In the Name of Being Honest in Sirius Black's POV? Would anyone be interested in that?
I'll be posting another chapter this weekend, so be on the lookout for that! If you're new to this story, head on over to my profile where the finished story In the Name of Being Honest is…I'm sure this will make much more sense after that!
I think that's it…as always! Read, review, and enjoy!
"Sources close to The Quibbler have stated that The Chosen One is not only researching ways to defeat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named at this time, but actively traveling while doing so.
'Harry Potter wouldn't just trapeze into the Ministry without a good reason," our source tells us, 'he's the most wanted wizard in the world right now. Can't imagine he would be that stupid for no reason.'
While it's still coming to light why Harry Potter is continuing to travel through the country, it is important to remain quiet of his whereabouts and offer shelter if you come across him."
Lavender rolled her eyes at the article, slamming The Quibbler down on the wooden library table. Sighing loudly, she turned back to the book containing the Daily Prophet articles from November 1982, not even close to halfway through them.
Xenophilius Lovegood was going to get himself killed, that was evident enough.
Flicking mindlessly through the hordes of celebratory articles from Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who, she thought more about Seamus' confession from days before. He hadn't even been able to look her in the eye the following morning and made it apparent that he had no intention of sitting near her during their shared classes that day.
Of course she loved him. She had loved him for years. She didn't understand why it had taken six years and an impending war for him to confess his feelings to her. Regardless of the Ron Weasley fiasco, which she was a hole she was still trying to climb out of, the universe seemed to find ways to continually dump on her.
"Why don't you just take a break?" Ginny hissed to her, eyeing the pages Lavender had scanned quickly, clearly not taking in any of the words. "Not like you're getting much done anyways."
Lavender shot her a glare, sighing deeply again. "It's a good distraction," she answered shortly, flaring her nostrils in a way that would make Professor McGonagall proud.
It was Ginny's turn to sigh. "Why DID you say no to Seamus anyways?" Her quill was hovered over the essay she was attempting to write, the ink dripping onto the parchment precariously. "I would have thought you would have jumped at the opportunity-"
"Why did Harry dump you?" Lavender shot back, quite meanly, her eyes boring into Ginny's. The red-headed girl closed her mouth, drawing in a deep breath through her nose. Lavender shook her head. "I'm sorry, Ginny, I…it's just been stressful. Everything has been so damn stressful."
Ginny laid down her quill, her hands shaking with anger. "Why are YOU so obsessed with Sirius Black?" she retorted, the tips of her ears rivaling the color of her hair. "He DIED. Almost TWO years ago. Why does all this matter now?"
Lavender dropped her gaze, licking her lips slowly as she let the words sink in. "When I was a third year, the first lesson we did in Divination was reading the tea leaves-" Ginny scoffed at her, opening her mouth to interrupt, but Lavender pushed on. "It all connects! Just listen, for Merlin's sake. YOU might not put much credit into Divination, but I do. My tea leaves have always read the exact same way- family secrets and betrayal. It doesn't matter what is happening, what time of day, whatever. It's always been the same. I've been so frustrated by it, so I started looking at other connections."
She paused for a moment, gathering the strength to get the next part out. She leaned in closer to Ginny, dropping her voice to almost a whisper. "Last year, Parvati mentioned a new theory to my tea leaves problem. What if Professor Trelawney didn't see the grim in Harry Potter's cup that first day? What if she saw what I've been seeing the misinterpreted it? And how could we find out? So I sidled up to your brother to get closer to Harry…in a way to gather information." She leaned back, shaking her head, as Ginny's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I'm not proud of it. It obviously backfired in the worst way possible." She paused one more time, taking a deep breath. "I just can't help, but think this whole Sirius Black thing is part of this somehow. I couldn't begin to tell you why. I just…I can't let it go. Not until I find everything out."
Ginny raked her gaze over Lavender's features, her eyes shooting down to the gold necklace Lavender had resting on her chest. She shook her head, her eyebrows still high on her forehead. "I can't say I approve of the methods you went with," she started, folding her arms across her chest, "but I also can't say that I blame you."
It was Lavender's turn for her eyebrows to shoot up. She was expecting Ginny to rip her to next Tuesday.
"I still think you're crazy," Ginny reiterated, picking up her quill and turning back to the essay in front of her, "but we'll find some answers. Merlin knows I'm just as nosey as you are."
A small smiled flit over Lavender's lips as she turned back to the book of articles in front of her.
…
The dinner bell rang shortly after and Lavender made her way down to the Great Hall with Ginny in tow. The two girls chatted about plans they had for the coming winter break, not much coming to mind, as neither sets of parents were going to allow them out of the house for long periods of time.
Lavender had a wrench in her gut thinking about leaving for break. Between the tension with Seamus and not having access to the articles in the library, she was sure she would spend the entire break anxious to get back to school.
She joined Parvati and Neville at the Gryffindor table, dropping her bag at her feet.
"Any luck?" Parvati whispered, turning to her with wide eyes. Lavender replied with a quick shake of her head, leaning forward to grab her goblet and take a sip of pumpkin juice. She nearly spit it out when she caught the eye of Seamus, who was seated a few students down from Neville. He turned away from her, engaging in conversation with a set of sixth year boys who had just joined the DA. Lavender's stomach clenched tightly.
This was exactly why she didn't want to get involved in the first place. Seamus was supposed to be her best friend; he was supposed to-
Alecto Carrow marched up the row between the Slytherin and Ravenclaw table, stopping briefly behind a seated student with bright blonde hair. Her hand shot out, gripping tightly onto Luna Lovegood's arm and hauling her to her feet, before dragging her to the front of the Great Hall.
Luna struggled to keep up, her shoes slipping out from underneath her. Her wand, usually tucked behind her ear, had clattered to the floor with the sudden movement.
Professor Carrow roughly released her at the foot of the steps that led up to the teacher's table, Luna fell to her knees with a sickening crack against the stone floor. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick exchanged worried glances.
"You come in 'ere," the professor started, calmly pacing the floor in front of Luna, who was seated on a step nursing her sore knee, "reading garbage and LIES-" She paused again, throwing the Quibbler down at Luna's feet. "-about our Dark Lord. You should be GRATEFUL for the opportunities he has given you."
Lavender scanned the Great Hall, watching Draco Malfoy for a moment. He lowered his gaze to his lap, not seeming to want to watch. Crabbe and Goyle, on the other hand, were almost drooling at the mouth waiting to see what would happen next.
Professor Carrow drew out her wand, pointing it at Luna threateningly. McGonagall hopped out of her seat to intervene, but was forced to sit back down by Amycus, who had snuck behind the chairs of the teachers in an attempt to stop any of them from stepping in. He kept a tight grip on her shoulder, his knuckles white.
"I want e'ryone here to see what happens when a family member decides to disrespect the Dark Lord." She opened her mouth, her wand still pointing straight at the chest of Luna, who was cowering on the step with her knees tucked under her skirt.
"NO!" Lavender heard someone shout, as the bench at the Gryffindor table bustled with activity. Neville shot out of his seat, running toward Luna with a look of fierce determination.
"CRUCIO!" Amycus shouted, her eyes wild as she peered down at Luna with a sense of power. Neville strode in front of Luna, yelling in great pain as the curse struck him in the hip, forcing him to his knees.
The students let out cries of protest. Seamus jumped to his own feet, drawing his wand on the Carrow sister. Various members of the DA followed suit, their wands pointed toward various people around the hall. The teachers sat back stunned, unsure what moves to make next.
"YOU STUPID BOY!" she screamed, sending a second jet of the curse toward Neville, this time hitting him in the stomach. He screamed out in pain again, his face screwed up in concentration as he fought his way back to his feet. "The Dark Lord appreciates your bloodline, but he grows increasingly weary of your protestin'," she shot at him, watching with disdain as he collapsed to the floor in front of Luna once again.
Professor Hagrid knocked his chair over he got up so quickly. Pushing Amycus out of the way, he circled the teacher's table and planted himself in between Alecto, Neville, and Luna. Crossing his arms over his chest, he glowered down at Alecto with a stare that sent chills up Lavender's spine.
"That's enough," he stated gruffly, leaning over to grab Neville and Luna by the back of their robes and hauling them to their feet. "Cursin' students based on their family's opinions! Teachin' unforgiveable cures and usin' 'em on firs years!" He pushed the two students behind him, shielding them from the Dark Arts professor. "This isn' how Hogwarts is ran."
Alecto's lips curled into a humorless smile as she pocketed her wand. "You jus' made a big mistake, professor." With that, she turned on her toes and marched back toward the doors of the Great Hall. Lavender and Parvati looked at each other with stunned expressions. What in Merlin's name could THAT have meant?