-Chapter 7-
31. It was just a simple number, nothing more to anyone else in the world. For Brooke it was so much more significant. The 31st marked a day her parents were murdered, it was the day she would get picked up from the Dursley's in the summer, it was the number of hours she was locked in her room one day after making Aunt Petunia upset.
Now 31 seemed to haunt her yet again, in the kitchen of #4 Grimmauld Place where she, Sirius, Remus, Ron, Fred, George, and Ginny sat. 31 was the number of times Remus had paced across the kitchen floor, it was the number of minutes Ginny had her head down in her hands, it was the number of times Ron had wiped a tear from his cheek.
"Is anybody hungry?" Sirius asked.
The table stayed silent, almost as though nobody had heard him.
Brooke gave him a sideways smile, squeezing his hand under the table.
Sighing, he squeezed it back, a strained expression on his face.
This war had clearly taken a turn against the light side. Along with that came the realization that everyone's loved ones were targets, and there was a good chance everyone might not make it out.
Sirius and Remus' worry was clearly relevant on their faces, and their constant glances at each other made Brooke's stomach turn.
A loud pop had almost everyone jumping up from the table with wands drawn, signaling that everyone was on guard over the attack.
Molly Weasley came walking in, looking worse for wear, her hair frizzy, her clothes rumpled, and tears evident in her eyes.
Remus quickly took her coat and lead her to a chair.
"Is everything okay Mum?" Fred asked, his voice laced with worry.
"Yes George, everything is fine."
Brooke noticed Fred didn't correct her on the mistake, showing her even the twins knew to be serious at a time like this.
"Your father will be home in the next hour or so, he is fine, a few bandages, a wheelchair for a little while, but over all in good spirits." she explained.
"He is going to be okay, right?" Ginny asked, as she stepped closer to her mom.
"Yes dear." Molly whispered, her voice wavering, "He will be okay."
Ginny crumbled against her mom hugging her as she cried.
The three boys looked slightly put off before, following in Ginnys lead and hugging their mother.
Brooke sat back, closing her eyes for a moment before she felt a strong a pair of hands on her shoulder. Looking up she found Sirius standing before her squeezing her shoulder, with Remus beside him, they both gave her lop sided smiles. Because even they knew this was a private moment between a grieving family, and all 3 of them knew first hand what it was like to lose the people closest to you.
Christmas Eve came faster than expected, Mr. Weasley returned back to Head Quarters, where it seemed everyone had decided to set up camp. Brooke mostly tried to spend as much time with Remus and Sirius as she could, while the Weasley's spent quite a bit of time with each other.
However, she couldn't help but feel slightly disconected from everyone since the attacks, she still hadn't told anyone about her dream from the attack, and she was starting to find the disconnection very lonesome.
-2 am Christmas Day-
Sirius was prone to nightmares, they always seemed to sneak up on him close to the holidays. Azkaban had certainly left its mark, memories that haunted him at all hours there, couldn't help but sometimes haunt him here.
So it was no surprise to Sirius when it woke him Christmas Eve night, after tossing till 2 in the morning he finally decided to go into the kitchen for a late night snack to ease his mind.
Sirius enjoyed the quietness at night his house held, especially since for the past few months it was filled with the teenagers and the Order Members.
So when he entered the kitchen that night and noticed the light in the living room on, the last thing he expected to find when entering to turn it off was his Goddaughter sitting on the couch, curled under a blanket.
"Brooke." Sirius voice floated over to her, drawing her away from her thoughts.
"Sirius?" she asked, looking up from her spot on the couch, "What are you doing up?"
"I should be asking you the same thing." he said quietly, strolling over and falling onto the couch alongside her.
Smiling she gestured to the Christmas Tree and decorations around them "Just admiring the decorations."
Sirius gave her a doubtful look.
Sighing, Brooke shrugged, "I just have a lot on my kind."
Sirius nodded in understanding.
"Well, what about you?" she asked, "What are you doing up?""Nightmare." he admitted quietly.
Brooke sighed, nodding in understanding.
"Hot Chocolate?" Sirius asked, grinning when Brooke nodded.
Once returning, he joined her on the couch, handing her a mug with Hot Chocolate in it.
"Thanks." she mumbled, her eyes set on the Christmas Tree, "Beautiful isn't it?"
Sirius smiled too, "Yes it is, it's nice to just sit back every now and then."
Brooke nodded in agreement.
"You've been very quiet this last week..." he hinted, leaning back to get comfortable.
Tensing slightly, Brooke pushed her hair out of her eyes.
Sirius watched her carefully, "If you don't talk about whats bothering you sweetie, it will only make things worse."
Brooke shook her head, "I just don't really understand it myself."
"Well let your dear old Godfather take a stab at it then."
Brooke frowned, biting her lip as she thought of a way to get out of this talk.
Sirius sensing her hesitance, leaned back, taking a long sip of his coco, "I dreamt of my first Christmas at Hogwarts with your Dad and Remus, it ss one of my favorite memories."
Brooke smiled, leaning back into the couch as he spoke.
"But my favorite memory of course is probably the first night your Mum and Dad brought you home...They were so happy, we all were."
"Well that doesn't sound like such a bad dream."
Sirius eyes glistened in the lights, "No, they aren't they are more of a haunting of happier times."
Brooke closed her eyes for a few minutes before opening them again, "I've been having dreams lately...Besides Mr. Weasley's attack, they haven't quite been scary, they've just been worrisome."
Sirius listened carefully, not making a peep even when she stopped to collect her thoughts.
"The Occlumency hasn't helped, Snape just...isn't teaching it very well-"
Sirius thankfully managed to with hold from snorting.
"When Mr. Weasley was attacked, I felt...I was...I was the snake that attacked him...I felt the anger that radiated through the snake directed towards Mr. Weasley." she explained, "And then later in Dumbledore's office...Sirius there was a surge of anger I felt towards him that I've never felt towards anyone before!"
Sirius nodded in understanding.
"What if something is happening Sirius, what if this connection me and Voldemort have is making me go bad...What if after everything I've been through something happened, and I...What if I'm turning bad..."
Sirius watched her face carefully, watching as it changed from disgust to a look of mild horror, which was his cue to jump in, "I want you to listen very carefully Brooke, you are not a bad person, you just happen to be a good person, who bad things have happened to. Besides sweetie, the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters. We have all got good and bad in us Brooke, what matters is what we choose to act on. That's what really matters."
Brooke nodded, a small quiver to her lip.
Sirius leaned forward and wrapped her in a hug, tightly, before kissing her on the top of the forehead. And in that moment he realized he had all he ever really needed. He missed Lily and James more than anything, but he had the most important person to the two of them to take care of.
"Ready for bed?" he asked when he let her go, "I'm sure you will be up in a few hours for Christmas."
Brooke grinned, standing up and stretching slightly before nodding, "I'm happy I have you Sirius." she whispered before hugging him tightly, "Goodnight." she said before going up the stairs.
Sirius smiled when he laid back down in his bed that night, basking in the love his heart radiated at Brooke's words.