Chapter 3
Grimmauld Place, 2 years ago.
(AN- I quote Mrs Black and part of the extendable ear conversation in this chapter exactly as they are in OotP book and film. JK Rowling owns her fantastic speech, not me. I only own Ravenna and her part in this plot.)
The order were gathered in the cramped study when the front door opened and the figures of Mad-Eye, Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt and a few others emerged into the hallway accompanied by Harry. Sirius saw him first and hugged him tightly before Ravenna exited the meeting and hugged Harry once Sirius had released him and before Molly Weasley could get at him.
"Hello, Harry." Ravenna said and Harry stood stunned, Sirius laughing with Remus behind the raven-haired woman who had just enveloped him in a hug. She released him and smiled at his expression. "I'm Ravenna, Sirius' daughter." She turned and flashed a smile at her father who kissed her forehead and held her close as Harry processed the information he had been given in the split seconds he had been inside his godfather's house.
"Oh, right. Hi." He said slowly and Ravenna smiled.
"Don't worry, we'll get to know each other soon, I promise." Ravenna had said sweetly as Molly hugged him and ushered him upstairs to join Hermione and Ron. Once he was out of sight, Ravenna went to join her father in the Order meeting.
"No."
"What? But Papa..."
"I said No, Ravenna."
"Who kept an eye on him for all these years when others were absent? Who alerted the Order to the fact that something and happened to Uncle James and Aunt Lily? ME!" Ravenna argued.
"Oh, be quiet, Ravenna." This was Snape.
"Fine, if you don't want me I will go upstairs and help Fred and George with whatever they are up to. Go to Hell, Snivellus." Ravenna countered angrily, her voice rising in volume and the voice of Mrs Black from her portrait came drifting down the stairs.
"Filth! Scum! By-products of dirt and vileness! Half-breeds, mutants, freaks, begone from this place! How dare you befoul the house of my fathers!-" Mrs Black screeched and Sirius winced, Ravenna was still angry and stormed up to her portrait on the first half landing as she continued. "Yooooou! Daughter of the blood traitor, abomination, shame of my flesh!"
"SHUT UP, GRANDMA YOU OLD, INCESSANT, BITCHING HAG!" Ravenna shouted back and the infernal woman stopped screeching as Ravenna magically drew the curtains that covered her portrait. Although Sirius was trying to protect his daughter from the dangers of the Order, he was pleased she disliked his mother as much as he did.
Once her grandmother had quietness and she was away from the picture she apparatus with a loud pop, ending up in Harry and Ron's room landing gently on Fred (or George's) lap. Harry had been shouting at Ron and Hermione as she appeared.
"Is everyone going to argue tonight?" Ravenna sighed sadly her arms around Fred and George as she moved to sit between them on the edge of Ron's bed.
"I noticed you woke up the hag?" George said.
"Yeah, what you do that for?" Fred added.
"Dad didn't want me in the order meeting and Snape made me angry. I hate him." Ravenna explained as Harry, Ron and Hermione noticed her presence.
"Hello, Raven." Ron said sitting on Harry's bed.
"Join the club. About Snape." Harry added, sitting away from Ron on the other side of George. Ravenna smiled.
"Yeah. He's a coward. He won't face facts or the truth. I think the Order are afraid I will ask questions about my mum- not that she's much of a mother. Bloody Death Eater Bitch." Ravenna muttered.
"What happened to your mum, Ravenna? If you don't mind me asking." Harry asked.
"She abandoned me on the front steps of this place on a cold December morning. If dad hadn't been in, I would have frozen out there."
"How old were you?" Hermione asked now, unaware of this story.
"3 months. I was born on October 31st- All Hallows' Eve. Quite ironic really, considering I'm a witch and an animagus. A raven, Harry. Hence my name." She added as Harry flashed her a confused look. "She's one of His followers, one of the favourites. Hence her nickname "Death Eater Bitch."" Harry nodded and then was shocked when Fred pulled out an extendable ear and suggested they listen in on the order meeting.
They crept out onto the landing and lowered the ear to the doorway of the study and they all crowded round to listen in. Ravenna between the twins.
"...He's not your son, Molly." Sirius argued.
"He's as good as. Who else had he got?"
"He's got me! Actually of all people he has got he's got Ravenna. She's right, she was there more for him than the rest of us." Sirius said, sadness filling his voice.
"We should give the girl some credit, Molly. She did call for Dumbledore after it happened." That was Remus.
"Well, yes I know that. But she was a child..."
"A child with an initiative, Molly. She's one of the best, be proud of her, Sirius." Minerva McGonnagall added, her Scottish accent obvious among the other Order members.
"I am. Don't forget Molly, she will be your daughter in law eventually if Charlie has anything to do with it. Don't deny it we've all seen the way he looks at her when he's here. He adores her and for that I am glad, she needs someone to support her." Sirius explained, seriously.
"I'm not but they are still children in my eyes, they shouldn't be doing the stuff we do..." Molly continued her argument.
"She's 24, Molly, hardly a child." Remus added.
"Can we all shut up about, Young Ravenna. You forget who her mother is." That was Snape and Ravenna clenched her fists.
"Don't you dare talk ill of her mother. I may not adore what she's become but I will respect her, she gave me Ravenna and Fionnlagh, even though he's gone the same way as their mother. She's my daughter and you will be nice to and about her or face worse than what James did to you at Hogwarts, Snivellus." Sirius stated sternly. "You forget who she was in love with."
"Yes, me. I do know." Snape continued sourly.
"Right, meeting over! I will not have you two fight in this tiny space. Sirius, leave him!" Remus shouted above the din that now erupted from the room below before a high pitched squeal was emitted from the extendable ear. The group gathered on the leaning above leaned over and saw Cruckshanks with the extendable ear between his teeth.
"Bad Cruckshanks, Leave it. Bad boy." Hermione whispered sternly as Cruckshanks disappeared down the corridor with the extendable ear.
"Your bloody cat, Hermione, is a pain in the arse." Fred and George said in unison.
Molly Weasley emerged from the study and called up to them that supper would be served shortly. Ravenna and the rest of them made their way downstairs in time to see Snape leaving with McGonnagall and a few others from the Order. Sirius was still glaring at Snape's back even long after he's gone. He only moved when Ravenna wrapped her arms around her father and held her close. Remus stroked her hair from beside him.
"I love you, Papa." Ravenna mumbled into his chest and Sirius smiled.
"Yeah, I love you too, Raven. Come on, Don't want to keep Molly waiting. Come on, Harry." Sirius steered the pair of them down to the kitchens, Remus and the others following.