Author's Note:
Reviews and Comments: To Guest: Yes, Sirius definitely wants to fight for Zee. Thanks for loving seeing Sirius meet Mina and Leo. He deserves to have some of those moments that he missed. You're hoping they find a way to save Zee so that Sirius and Zee both get out alive? We will have to see. Thank you! To minerdude: No, none of Zee's blamed Sirius of course. They're all just happy to see him. Thanks for loving the scenes with the kids. Thank you! To darkhk: In my head? From the very beginning. In theory of how to make it happen only like 2 years lol. Thank you! To Read and Fly: Yes, life does keep moving on and I think that's such an important part to show. Thanks for loving the reunion with the twins. Thank you very much! To Stilly24: Aw, sorry to make you cry again. It was an emotional moment for Sirius too. We will see him and Minnie reunite in this chapter. Thank you very much! To scrappy8: Thank you! We do need to start at the beginning to figure it out — or at least Sirius does. Harry already knows what he knows. Thank you! To Cassiopeia Anastasia Black: Thank you! Yes, Harry and Sirius are determined to put their heads together and save Zee. We will have to see what happens. Thank you! To MrsHJSnape: Thank you! I'm so happy to hear it was worth the wait. Happy Belated Birthday! Sorry, no bonus chapter this week. Thanks for going back and rereading ASC as well. That means a lot. Thank you! To Hanacide: Sorry to make you happy cry, but it was so sweet to write Sirius meeting his babies for the first time! We will see his reunion with Minnie in this chapter. Please don't let Zee die? Well, I can't make any promises. We will have to see. Thank you!
To the frozen flame21: Thank you! Sorry that waiting for each chapter is killing you, I promise you will survive. Sirius is back and it is hard to believe. A memory chest for Sirius would be very nice. Thank you! To zorica: Thank you! I love knowing that I made your heart full. You want them to save Zee, but not sacrifice Sirius? No promises. Thank you so much! To Sets: Sorry, not surprise chapter this week. Thank you very much! To EnigmaticEmperor: Yes, J and Padma, but Padma is definitely not quite ready to date again. She's invested in her career. Thanks for loving my Weasley siblings moments. Ron does love orange, he just assumes. It's not really something Sirius would do, but explaining him dying and coming back is definitely not going to go over well so it works. Ginny did stand up for Harry because she knows how hard all of this is on him and she's worried that others aren't seeing it the way they should. No, Sirius doesn't remember anything from the time he washed. Thanks for loving seeing Sirius with his babies. Now it's Zee's turn to survive? Haha, noted. Thank you very much! To charmshield7: Thank you! It was both sad and sweet to see Sirius meeting the twins. You're crossing your fingers that Zee will survive without killing Sirius? Good to know. Thank you! To vampireprincess141: Thank you! You think they need to save both Sirius and Zee. As to Crouch and Bella getting a piece of their medicine, we will have to wait and see. Thanks for loving my Hinny moments and the relationship between Theo, Bas, and their kittens. Thank you very much!
To alix33: Yes, the silk knickers were from Pansy's shop. Thank you very much! To Lance Kumazuki: You think there "has to be some kind of soul magic here." I love the confidence. Thank you very much, I hope I surprise you in the future! To Nan001: Thank you! I'm happy to hear it was wholesome. I did always know I wanted to bring Sirius back, but until about two years ago, I hadn't fully worked out how. Thank you very much! To Charlotte: Thank you! I'm happy to know you're back and aww, I adore you as well! Thank you! Ha, I love this happy reaction! Thank you! To Nightwing2013: Thank you very much! Sorry to make you cry though. To tim2604: Well, it was emotional for Sirius to meet his kids, sorry to keep breaking your heart. Thank you! Ginny is very protective of her man and I think her standing up to Sirius was very important. Yes, Minnie and Sirius will reunite in this chapter. Thank you! To briana_t: Thank you! I love them knowing him instantly which makes it better for him and made the moment a bit more sweet, I think. Thank you! To Preston327: Sorry to make you ugly cry over Sirius meeting his kids for the first time. Thank you very much! To AQuickRead91: Sorry, but you have to wait lol. Thank you! To TatiRena: Sirius meeting his kids was everything. Thank you! To kyciona: Thank you! I'm glad that Sirius meeting his kids was what you were waiting for. Thank you!
To marauders_mowopapr: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed Sirius meeting his children. Thanks! To Arabella_SG: Thanks for loving Sirius meeting his kids. Zee's situation is more upsetting with Sirius being there, but not being able to interact with her. You're hoping I'm giving him a happy ending. Thanks for loving my Theobas fluff and yes, overprotective Ginny is the best. Thank you very much! To Mrs_Norway: You're welcome! Thanks for saying that Sirius meeting the twins "felt realistic, and the instant love he felt was emotional and well depicted." Thank you! I think Ginny needed to say a few protective words on behalf of Harry, for Harry as much as for herself. Thank you very much! To katelyn453: Yes, Sirius got to meet his children. Thank you! Sirius doesn't know for sure, but he definitely suspects lol. Thank you! To Kathythomas: Thank you! You're too kind! Thanks for saying my "writing is amazing." Ha, sorry, it won't be a four-part story but I do think some of the epilogues will answer those questions. As to Zee being back from the dead, I love the optimism. Thank you very much! To Nuno Neves: Thank you! I love that I can make your heart shine bright. Sirius totally deserves a third chance at life. Thank you for loving how much Ginny loves Harry and her standing up for his emotional well being, even to the man he loves as a father. Thank you very much! To carleys123: Thank you very much! Magnolia is of course there but since I never actually introduced her as a character, I didn't bring her into that quick scene. But of course she was there with Misha. Thank you very much!
To Gigi87: Yes, Yeona and Padma! Well, Yeona is interested in Padma, but Padma isn't there yet. You think this means that Blaise will end up with Sebastian's sister? Interesting. Yes, Bas is very infatuated with the kittens and Theo is sad Armani loves Bas more than him lol. The Weasley men were always sexy so transitioning into DILFs just makes sense. I think Percy having an opinion when he has no kids just makes sense lol. You think Gabrielle will end up getting kidnapped when she comes to visit lol? Interesting theory. Ginny is definitely taking care of Harry and her brothers know it. McGonagall is very confused about Sirius and dealing with her own emotions concerning it. Her and Sirius will reunite soon. Thanks for loving how protective Ginny is of Harry. I love her standing up for him, even though she's just as happy to know that Sirius is back, it's a lot for her as well. Yes, whenever Harry is feeling vulnerable, Ginny does kiss his scars — thank you for noticing that! Ha, no, Ginny's teammates haven't realized Harry's "good luck charm" lol. Thank you for saying the Hinny smut keeps getting hotter and hotter and that the way "they both listen to each other talk about their day and how attentive they are to each other's needs just shows how healthy their relationship is." Yes, Sirius doesn't remember things yet, only what he's been told. Sorry, Zee did not wake up to love's kiss like a Disney princess, but I love you taking Sirius' words as confirmation that Zee will return. I love your confidence. Yes, Mina and Leo recognized Sirius because Harry and Zee always show them photos. So cute. Thank you very much! To ThomasJAvery: Thank you! Theo and Sebastian are very cute together with their kitties. I'm glad you're loving Kiki and the other house elves as well. Ha, you already ship Yeona and Padma? Thank you. Bas is a Quidditch fan and definitely invested in Ginny's career. I'm glad you enjoyed the Weasley banter and seeing Ron and Hermione back together at a family event. I love that I can make you smile at the screen while reading as the Weasley boys bicker. Yes, it is a big shock for McGonagall and we'll see more of that soon. Thank you for saying the "way Ginny is sending up for Harry is the most beautiful thing." Yes, Sirius seeing Zee was a lot for him to handle, to see her like that and not know any more than Harry does. Then meeting his kids for the first time — it's a lot. Love the optimism about Zee returning. Thank you very much!
To AlyTheCat: I hope you see this — yes, he dies in ASC and yes, he returns in TTTC. Thank you! To Bellmel: Thank you! I'm so happy to hear everyone loved the moment where Ginny stood up for Harry to Sirius. Of course Sirius is in awe of Ginny playing professional Quidditch and I always loved them being apart of each other's lives like when Ginny demanded he tell her a love story when she was a girl. Yes, the surreal-ness of Sirius just hanging around with everyone is hard to believe after all this time, I get that. Of course, Sebastian supports Ginny. First of all, he's a fan of Quidditch, and knowing he's met her and then seeing her play has to be pretty cool. As for Molly loving seeing her son have kids keeping him on his toes, seems like just desserts to me haha. We will see more of Sirius in his dad form in the future, yes. Thank you very much! To Ellieoryan7447: That's funny that you were thinking of Padma and then I happened to mention her — you're welcome for reading your mind lol. Of course Percy has something to say about how Fred is raising his kids lol. Fred was rightly annoyed and yeah, that would be scary for Fred but also hilarious to know his girls are keeping him on his toes. Molly can be brutal and I love that about her. I like to think it's where Ginny gets her pizazz from. Aw, I love how much you loved the commentary in the Weasley dinner scene. Yes, sometimes you do lost a game. It is part of her job. Her going off on Sirius was needed, she wants to protect Harry. Yes, Sirius suddenly realizing Harry and Ginny are sharing a bed is a bit of and adjustment for him lol. Sorry that seeing Zee in the hospital bed was so devastating. I am happy you cried when Sirius met Mina and Leo — it was such a sweet moment. Thank you very much!
My posting schedule: Weekly.
As always, thank you very much for reading and please, please review!
Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you for all of your continued support!
CHAPTER TWENTY:
The One With the Interrogation
Harry went back to work four days after Sirius was given back his soul, leaving Sirius at Black Cottage with Sorcha, Colt, Flo, and the twins. Sirius had flat out refused to return to Clevedon Court after meeting his children. He didn't want to part from Mina and Leo. He cooked them dinner and put them to bed with minimal help from Sorcha and had moved back into his own bedroom to sleep since Sorcha slept in Harry's old room.
Harry had debated on asking someone else to go over, setting up an Auror to guard him, but he realized that it wasn't worth it. Sirius was back and Harry wanted him to have the opportunity to be the dad that he was meant to be; Harry wasn't going to take that away from him.
But he did write to McGonagall and told her where Sirius would be. He knew that his old professor would want to hurry over and see him and he thought that it would be good for the both of them.
In the meantime, returning to work after everything had taken place was harder than Harry thought it would be. Having Ginny with him at night had helped and after making sure he'd taken the time to use his tongue on her twice the following morning, the Harpies had defeated Tutshill by over two hundred and twenty points. Harry had immediately informed his girlfriend that it meant it was a sure thing and not superstition: If he went down on her before a game, she won. He might have even felt a little cocky about it.
With his return to work, Ginny was planning on staying at Hogwarts for the next little while. Harry knew that was it the best plan as she needed to rest and stop worrying about him so much. He was starting to see through the blazing strength she was wearing like armour around him and the last thing he wanted was for her to burn herself out. She was trying to keep up a strong front for him, for him to lean on, and he fell in love with her all over again the moment he realized she was trying to be his strength more than she already was. She was his strength and the fact that she was pushing herself to be more when he needed her most only showed him how much she loved him.
But now it was his turn to do the same.
If she was his strength, he was hers, and it was time that he took care of her for once. She needed rest and to do that, she needed one less thing to focus on. With his return to work, he would have enough on his plate as it was. He'd kissed her passionately before she left and then headed to the Ministry alone.
Ron and Hermione had both been staying either at the Burrow or the Grangers' residence in Heathgate as of late. Harry figured part of it was to give him and Sirius time, but he knew that another part was because Hermione hadn't fully moved back in. He didn't want to bother his friends as to what their current relationship status was, but he also missed them. He shook the thoughts from his head and instead made a quick stop at Black Cottage to check on Sirius, Mina, and Leo.
Sorcha was staying there for the time being. The flat that she had with Misha still contained most of her things and Harry knew that she would most likely be moving back to it soon, but neither of them were quite prepared for Sirius to have returned. He could use the extra help and he was grateful for it.
Harry found Sirius playing with Mina and Leo in the sunroom, a huge smile on his face. After assuring that they were all good (they had agreed to leave them out of nursery school for the week), Harry told Sirius to mirror call him if he needed anything. Then he finally headed to the Ministry.
As comfortable as he felt with the fact that Sirius was indeed back, there were still a lot of balls up in the air to deal with. Not to mention there were still three Death Eaters to deal with. He knew that Brambilla had been arrested, but he hadn't been told anything on what had happened to her since then.
And he had a hell of a lot of questions about her involvement with Sirius and Zee as well as where the hell Bellatrix Lestrange and Barty Crouch Jr were.
Before he could ask his partner for an update on what he'd missed over the last four days, Robards called him into his office almost the moment he arrived. Harry found Higgins and Tonks were already present.
"Have a seat, Potter," Robards demanded when he closed the door behind him.
Once Harry was seated, Robards leaned forward in his chair, his eyes on Harry.
"I've read the reports and from what I can see, everything in here is one huge clusterfuck." He tapped his fingers on the case folder as he spoke. "This entire case has been one big, bloody disaster after another, but you've put in the work and you've done it well."
Harry tried to hide his surprise at the sudden turn in Robards' words. "Thank you, Sir."
"Every step that you or your team has taken has been outlined in detail," Robards continued. "This tells me that everything you've done has had witnesses and considering the personal matter of this case, that's important. Shacklebolt has been kept informed and frankly, the only reason you've been given as much freedom on this case as you've been is because you're Harry Bloody Potter."
"I didn't ask for special treatment," Harry began.
Robards held up his hand to silence him. "Asked or not, we both know that you would have found a way to involve yourself with this case. I get it. This whole thing has been personal for you and for Lupin. I've allowed the two of you to take control with Atwell holding the reins to make sure nothing gets fucked up and have been keeping Shacklebolt informed in the meantime. I'm not stupid enough to think that I could have removed you entirely from this investigation. I'll admit, I think it was a good decision to keep you on board, Potter. You and Weasley going after Black's soul was… well, if I'm honest, not anything that I would have suggested even trying, but lucky for you, Lupin convinced me that it was the best course of action. And now I understand that Black survived the re-souling process and is living at your home?"
Harry nodded. "Yes, Sir."
Robards' eyes narrowed. "All right. Report."
Harry quickly launched into how Sirius was settling in, how his memory was still foggy over when he'd been soulless, and how he was with his kids now. When he finished, Robards pursed his lips.
"Has he been to see Galibrath again?"
"No, Sir."
"I want another check up by the end of the week and I want Baxter and Higgins to interview him," he held up his hand when Harry made to protest. "You've done well, Potter, but we both know that you and Lupin are too bloody close to this. Black is not a suspect any more and what little we do know about what transpired while he was soulless is that he didn't commit any crimes. But we do need to know what he knows and to do that, I need interviews from Baxter and Higgins. You can observe, but will not interfere. Are we clear?"
"Yes, Sir," Harry said. "What are you hoping to learn from him?"
"As much as we possibly can," Robards said. "I'm hoping that maybe a few cognitive interviews will spark something in those foggy memories and he might have some insight into where Lestrange and Crouch are hiding out. In the meantime, we've left Brambilla mostly cooling her heels for the last few days. She's starting to get shaky and has demanded that someone speak to her. Potter, do you think that you and Higgins can lead the interrogation?"
"Yes, Sir," Harry said quickly, surprised at the offer.
Robards nodded. "Atwell and Baxter went at her the other day, but she didn't say much of anything. Seemed to want to choose silence despite the charges laid against her. I'm hoping that after a few days of solitude she might've change her mind."
"We'll get her to talk, Sir," Higgins said, making Robards look over at him.
"Good. First things first, Potter, I want you to meet with McCraight and if he signs off on you coming back to work, then you can meet Higgins in interrogation this afternoon. Otherwise, I want you back in this office to discuss terms."
"To… he won't sign off?" Harry asked, alarmed at the thought that he suddenly could be removed from his job.
Robards blinked. "With what you've gone through over the last few months, I need to make sure that you're in top shape. If McCraight thinks you're capable, you can return to work. Otherwise we're going to discuss a leave of absence for your mental well being."
"Sir, I need to help find Lestrange and Crouch," Harry insisted. "That's where my mental well-being is at. I have to be involved!"
"And I need you here to do so," Robards agreed. "So go talk to McCraight and get yourself cleared for duty. Dismissed."
Harry and Higgins left his office and Harry let out a frustrated sigh.
"What if McCraight won't clear me?"
Higgins gave him a sympathetic look. "Harry, is there any reason to think that he won't clear you? Are you feeling like you can't do the job?"
"I don't know!" he exclaimed. "A lot has happened and I get that, but I'm here and I'm ready to work. I think I'm fine, but what if he doesn't?"
"I'm glad to have my partner back, but I want to make sure that he's clear in the head, too. If you feel fine, that's a good sign, Harry. Go talk to McCraight and then we'll grab some lunch and discuss tactics on how to tackle the bitch in interview."
Harry nodded, feeling a little better after knowing that Higgins supported him. One one hand, he understood where Robards was coming from. This whole case was personal for him. It was about his parents and he was heavily involved in the investigation. Bringing Sirius' soul back and then giving it to him and watching Sirius return to him… it was a lot. He knew that, but it didn't mean that he couldn't handle what was coming next. He was ready for it. Not matter what it took and now he just needed to make sure that his mind healer understood that.
He Disapparated to Londonderry to meet McCraight in his office at the Magical Intelligence Agency, his stomach churning in worry that McCraight might actually not let him return to work. His mind was already wondering how he could stay involved if Robards pulled the plug before he talked himself out of it. He didn't have to worry, he assured himself. He felt good. In fact, he felt better than he had in ages and he had a feeling that his full on meltdown with Sirius and Remus the other day had played a big part in that. He stepped inside the mind healer's office when he bid him entry and closed the door behind him.
"Harry, good to see you. Have a seat."
When Harry hesitated near the door, McCraight raised an eyebrow.
"Is something the matter?"
"Are you going to clear me to work?"
McCraight gave him a pointed look and gestured to the chair. "Unless there's a reason that you think I shouldn't, I can't imagine not doing so. Have a seat, Harry."
Harry reluctantly moved to the chair to take a seat and crossed his arms in front of his chest.
McCraight stared at him for moment, eyeing his rather negative stance before he spoke. "I've been kept informed on the case by Robards and I understand that you've had quite an eventful week."
"You could say that," he admitted.
McCraight pursed his lips. "All right, Harry, why don't you give me your report of what's happened?"
Giving it in a report seemed easier and he was grateful to McCraight for opening the door that way. He started from the meeting with the Arcanums and filled him in on everything that had happened from working with the Department of Mysteries, to partnering with a Reaper, to meeting Sirius and fighting him, to giving him back his soul, and to everything that had happened since. At one point, he found tears running down his cheeks, but he didn't stop speaking. When he finally finished, McCraight gave him a small smile.
"I'm proud of you."
"What?" Harry exclaimed, baffled. "Why?"
"Because you finally let it go," McCraight said. "That day in the living room with the two men who raised you, you finally let it all go, Harry. You let all of your emotions out in one of the healthiest ways possible: Crying; not only talking about it, but really feeling. Not everyone is capable of doing that and I have to say, the fact that you finally did is a huge accomplishment. I was beginning to wonder if you were going to crack."
"Crack?"
"Yes. Go round the bend. It's a lot that you've been dealing with. More than anyone should have to."
Harry swallowed. "I feel… better. I mean, I'm still worried about Zee and terrified that I'm going to lose her, but I feel… I don't know. I just feel less stressed over it all. Having Uncle Sirius back and having him and Uncle Remus by my side is just… I feel lighter."
"That's good," McCraight said. "It's a good sign, but it also goes to show that you have a lot of healing left to do. I hope that now that you've finally come down from that mountain you were hiding behind, we can delve deeper into that healing."
"How do we do that?" Harry asked.
McCraight smiled. "We keep talking. But in the meantime, I see no reason why you can't keep working. You've a strong mind, Harry, and I personally think that you will benefit from staying busy. I believe that working the case is the best thing for you. I think we can both agree that taking away this investigation wouldn't help you heal, but most likely hinder the progress you've already made. However, I would like to see you every other day for the next little while just to keep checking in."
"But I can go back to work?"
"Yes," McCraight said, his lips curving. "You can go back to work."
Harry grinned and jumped to his feet. "Great! Thank you!"
McCraight chuckled. "Hold your hippogriffs, we're not done today just yet."
Harry bit his lip and sat back down. "Sorry, I didn't mean… thank you."
"I know you're anxious to get back to the case and start the interrogation of Brambilla and I can't say I blame you, but there is one thing I would like to tackle with you today if we can."
Harry only stared at him, not sure what McCraight wanted to focus on.
"I want to talk about the fact that Sirius Black attempted to strangle you. According the report, you lost consciousness and your heart stopped beating in that moment until he performed a life saving measure on you to bring you back."
Harry shrugged. "It was fine. I mean, it was barely a minute. It's not the first time."
"That is exactly what I want to discuss," he said. "Most people cannot claim to have died more than once, Harry."
He sighed. "I know it's not something to talk light about, but to me it's just… I don't know, normal?"
"Normal how?"
"I don't know," he admitted. "All my life I've been working on trying to stay off of Voldemort's radar. I knew he was… hunting me in some capacity and I guess knowing that I was the only known survivor of the killing curse made it easier to believe that I'm invincible in some way."
"No one is invincible, Harry. Even Voldemort with all of his attempts at chasing immortality was ultimately killed by your hand. Death comes for us all one way or another."
"It's not that I think I'm invincible, not really," Harry said, trying to make sense of his thoughts. "It's just… I know what's important and if giving my life to save someone else's helps…"
McCraight nodded. "Noble. It's one of your strongest characteristics and one of your weakest traits, is it not?"
"Yeah," he admitted.
"How many times have you died, Harry?"
Harry frowned. "Like officially or…?"
McCraight lifted an eyebrow. "We'll get back to the fact that that's even a question. Let's talk officially."
Harry let out a long sigh. "Well, I guess the first time was when Uncle Sirius figured out how to remove the Horcrux that was stuck in my scar."
"How did they do that?"
"I went to Greece," Harry began. "An old friend of Uncle Sirius' married this really smart neuro-healer and he studied scans of my brain and figured out how to remove the soul piece. It was really difficult magic and it took hours. It was risky, too. I remember Xander explained it to me. He said that the Horcrux had attached itself to the threads of my brain, like a parasite or something and it was feeding off of me in some way. It was an extremely difficult procedure as they had to not threaten the Horcrux or cause it to wake up and lash out at them. They had to slowly unstitch each piece like a knot that had to be untied."
"You were unconscious?"
"Yeah," Harry said. "At first. The more he worked, I woke up a little, struggled against the hold and well… I don't remember much, but I started seizing and my heart stopped. It was only for a minute or something and then I was okay and in a coma for a bit while my body rested from the operation."
"And how did you feel when you'd come to and realized that you died?"
"Fine," Harry said. "Honestly the whole dying thing was barely a blip to me because I was so happy that the Horcrux was gone. Everyone else was more concerned over my heart stopping than I was."
"Flippant."
"Huh?"
"You're rather flippant over your death."
"I don't mean to be," Harry said. "It's just that removing the piece of Voldemort that he left in my scar when he murdered my parents was all that mattered to me. I finally felt… free in a way that I hadn't realized I wasn't before. Uncle Sirius, Uncle Remus, Zee, Tonks, and I… we spoke a lot about it in detail before the procedure. I knew there was a possibility of me dying and as scared as I was, I knew that another part of Voldemort would be destroyed and that was all that really mattered, you know? I didn't want to die, but if I'm honest, I think part of me knew that I wouldn't. I just… I knew that my dads would make sure that I came through it, no matter what. Maybe it's because I was barely fifteen at the time, I don't know. I just… I didn't really believe I was going to die even if I was terrified I would. Does that make sense?"
"Yes," McCraight said. "You courted death a second time less than a week ago. You intentionally went into this knowing you would die in order to track down Sirius Black's soul."
"Yes," Harry said. "I knew that wasn't permanent though. I mean, I knew it wouldn't be a real death."
"What do you mean it wasn't real? Your heart stopped beating that qualifies as a death, Harry."
"Well, yeah," Harry admitted. "But I knew that I wouldn't stay dead. I had people qualified to make sure that I didn't really die on standby."
McCraight pursed his lips. "But you were aware that there was still a very strong possibility that you couldn't be brought back once your heart stopped beating? Just because it was possible didn't make it a guarantee."
Harry shrugged. "I tried to stay positive, ergo, I'd survive."
"That's not how it works, Harry."
"Maybe not. But it works for me. I knew that I had to come back with Sirius' soul and I wasn't willing to come back without it. I'm stubborn when I want to be, Auden, and therefore I knew it was going to be all right."
"And when you did give him back his soul and he had his hands wrapped around your throat?"
Harry hesitated before he spoke. "I thought that he was going to die. I thought returning him his soul would end his life which meant that he couldn't hurt me. When I blacked out, I thought I'd just lost consciousness. I didn't know that I had actually died until after. I thought I just stopped breathing for a minute."
"Not breathing is usually considered a sign of death, Harry."
"I'm still here," he said. "Maybe it's a state of mind; maybe it is that some part of me does think I'm invincible because I grew up with the ridiculous moniker of The Boy Who Lived. I don't honestly know. What I do know is that I don't want to die. I want to live a long life with the woman I love and have a family. I want my dads to be around as long as I can have them and I want Zee to be there too. I'm tired of losing people I love just because they love me."
McCraight nodded. "And that's something that I want to talk about next time I see you. Those you lose aren't dying because they love you, Harry. The love they have for you has nothing to do with their own mortality."
"No," Harry agreed. "It just makes their mortality all the more clear. I'll see you in two days."
McCraight called his name when he reached the door. "Keep your mind clear, Harry. We have a lot to discuss."
Harry thanked him again and hurried out of his office feeling a bit more focused, even if a little off after that deep discussion. Putting it into perspective like that, he realized he had died three times. Sirius had brought him back at the end bringing it full circle. Harry had saved Sirius for Sirius to save Harry. It was oddly poetic in a way. He shook the thoughts from his mind, remembering the mind healer's words about keeping his mind clear. If McCraight had cleared him to work, he wanted a chance to talk to Brambilla and he needed a clear mind to do so. He needed to know what the hell was going on inside that woman's head and he needed to know about the spell she used on Zee. If people who loved him tended to die, he was going to do everything he could to make sure that his mother wasn't another name on that list.
After all, if Slughorn and Borage's calculations were correct, they only had a handful of weeks left before they were out of time.
Harry wasn't about to let that time run out.
~ TTTC ~
Sirius was playing with Mina and Leo, relishing in their sweet laughter. He couldn't stop watching them and had no desire to stop. But the sight of the figure in the doorway of the sunroom had him jumping to his feet as Leo and Mina ran into her arms, shouting, "Gannie!"
"Hallo, my darlings," McGonagall exclaimed, bending to hug and kiss them. "Are you being good for your daddy?"
They babbled some nonsensical words that made her nod as if she understood every one of them. Then they hurried back to their toys. Sirius wiped his hands on the side of his jeans and swallowed.
"Hi, Minnie."
Tears welled up in her eyes as she reached out and pulled him into her arms.
"Oh, Merlin! Oh my gods, you're actually here!"
"I'm here," he whispered into her neck, holding her tightly against him. It was only then that he noticed how much frailer she seemed to be from the last time. He held her a little closer, the warmth of her a relief that he hadn't known he needed.
She framed his face in her hands, taking him in. "I don't understand this, but I am so grateful to see you."
"Me too."
McGonagall kissed his cheek. "How do you feel?"
Sirius shrugged. "Lost. Confused. A bit… queer? I've missed a lot."
"Yes," McGonagall said. "But you'll catch up."
"Not like you to go soft on me, Minnie."
McGonagall scoffed. "Shush you! After everything… if anyone… losing a son is never easy."
Sirius' eyes softened. "Minnie…"
She shooed him off and turned to the twins on the floor. "These babies have been an absolute godsend! Seeing them every week brings me more joy than I can express."
"I'm glad they have you."
"Zee and I… we grew closer with you gone. She's an amazing woman. Resilient."
"I'm going to save her," Sirius said, making McGonagall's eyes widen. "No matter what it takes. I refuse to believe that I was given a new chance at life and she wasn't."
"We'll figure it out, Sirius."
He reached out to squeeze her hand and her stern expression, softened. "Yeah, we will. So, Headmistress, eh?"
McGonagall chuckled. "It was a job I hoped to gain a little later in life. Losing Albus like we did… it was hard on everyone. Remus has been a blessing."
"I can't believe Moony is Deputy Headmaster. Bloody hell, times have changed."
"He's good at it. The students respect him. Quite a few fancy him. Seeing him walking around carrying Teddy while he teaches has been quite the talk. When he goes to nursery school next year I think Remus isn't going to be the only one who misses him."
"A few babies for you to coddle and you go soft on me," he teased.
"Not soft," she insisted. "I'm still as strict as ever."
"That I believe," he said with a smile. "How's Nyx?"
"Feisty," McGonagall said. "She guards the castle while I come here. I used to bring her, but she and Padfoot always end up fighting and I don't trust her not to use her tail for flight with a toddler on her back."
Sirius chuckled. "I knew that she was perfect for you."
"She's saved my life more than once," McGonagall told him. "She was an incredible gift that I cherish."
"I'm glad," Sirius said. "So, new promotion, new man?"
McGonagall rolled her eyes. "Now's not the time for jokes."
"What? You're telling me you don't have some secret lover stashed away that you're dying to tell me about?"
"No, I do not and if I did, I would most certainly not be dying to tell you about it."
Sirius grinned. "There's that stern exasperation I'm familiar with."
She gave him an annoyed look and he gestured for her to follow him into the kitchen to make her a cup of tea. Mina followed him, demanding he pick her up, and he snuggled her close, kissing her brow. Mina and Leo had both been very affectionate today and Sirius wasn't sure if it was the sudden reappearance of him or a mix of the fact that they missed their mother, but he was going to enjoy every second of it. Once the kettle was on, he shifted Mina on his hip as McGonagall picked up Leo.
"So, tell me about Harry?"
"He's a remarkable young man."
"I can see that for myself," Sirius said. "I can't believe that he's grown and working as a fucking Auror!"
"Careful," McGonagall warned. "These two are like sponges when it comes to picking up on bad words."
"Hey!" Sirius protested. "We both know that it was Moony who had the foul mouth when Harry was a kid, not me."
"Mmhm," McGonagall replied.
Sirius settled the twins with a snack of apple slices and chunks of cheddar cheese before he made McGonagall's tea and they took a seat. It was only then did McGonagall speak.
"He took it hard when you died. We all did, but he was… I don't want to say broken, but I can't think of another word to describe it. He and Zee spent the summer in Georgia with Colt, Flo, Misha, and Sorcha. Ginny went with them. When he came back to school he was… harder. Not in a bad way, but he was more focused on the war, on the hunt. He lead the FUVP hunt and when Dumbledore was killed, he took on the Order of the Phoenix."
"Of course he did," Sirius said in awe. "I tried to teach him that he didn't have to take the whole world on his shoulders, but he was never one to listen."
"The work you did with the Ministry, getting them to listen and to believe that Voldemort had really returned, it helped more than you can know," McGonagall said. "The Aurors and the Defence Squads, they were willing to listen to Harry, to accept that he knew when to call them into action. There were a lot of attacks and Harry found himself face-to-face with Voldemort more times than I can count. He attacked the Ministry of Magic, blew up the Wizengamot in an attempt to take control. We lost many."
Sirius nodded, his eyes dark. "Yeah, Moony filled me in a bit on that."
"Zee was a constant by his side. She guided him and loved him as a mother does and whenever Voldemort attacked, she was there fighting, trying to protect him. Did Remus tell you that she was captured by Bellatrix?"
A look of rage shot across Sirius' face. "She what?"
McGonagall nodded. "In Hogsmeade. She and Rodolphus captured Zahira and Hermione. She used a cursed dagger on them and Zee's arm now bears the word 'whore' because of Bellatrix Lestrange."
Sirius looked murderous. "After everything she… that bitch is going to pay for what she's done to me; to my family. Harry told me that she's the one who killed Andy and Ted. She killed me. She's hurt Harry countless times and then she tried to brainwash me into killing Harry. She won't get away with this."
"I certainly hope she doesn't," McGonagall agreed. "I know she should spend the rest of her life in the crypt, but part of me wants her to meet a very sticky end."
"All of me wants her to meet a very bloody end," Sirius replied. "There's no way that bitch is going to keep breathing as long as I'm alive."
"And we're all very happy to see you alive again, Sirius," McGonagall said. "You really can't understand what it was like when you weren't here."
He nodded, giving some milk to Mina and Leo before sitting back down. "Harry sent me a Patronus to ask me to talk to the Aurors again and to the healer who originally examined me after I got my soul back. They need to know what I know and I hate that I can't remember anything from after I died in the Department of Mysteries."
"You will," McGonagall assured him. "I'm sure it will come back."
"How do you know?" he asked. "When you die, Minnie, you go… somewhere else. An afterlife. An alternate universe. A heaven. A paradise. Whatever it is you want to call it. It's what you hope for and from what Harry told me about where he went to get my soul, I was happy. I was with Jamie and everyone I loved whom I've lost and I was at peace. Harry said that I brought Padfoot to him, that I visited him in dreams and… I don't remember any of that, Minerva, let alone climbing out of my own grave."
She nodded, her eyes on his. "The Aurors are trained to try to get you to remember, Sirius. They might be able to tap into it, like a Pensieve memory."
"I don't know… if I can't access the memory myself; if I have nothing to hold onto, to find it… how can they?"
McGonagall shook her head. "I don't know, but I think you coming back to us was a gift from the gods and that alone tells me that it will all work itself out in the end."
"I won't live without Zahira," Sirius said. "If I have to die again to save her… I said as much and I know how much it hurt Harry to hear it and I don't want to do that, but fuck, Minnie. I died, my life ended. If she has a chance and I have to lose myself to give it to her, what kind of person am I if I don't do it?"
McGonagall clasped his hand in hers. "You're the son I've loved as my own and no matter what happens, Sirius, I believe that we can fix it. You weren't meant to survive getting your soul back only to lose such a big part of what makes it tick. You just have to believe in second chances."
"I do believe in second chances," Sirius said. "They say that the third time's the charm, but sometimes it's one chance too many."
"We'll figure it out," McGonagall insisted. "Trust in Harry. You and Remus raised him well."
Sirius ran a hand over his face at her words and nodded. They had raised him well. He'd seen that. Harry was a strong, intelligent, and resourceful young man who didn't quit or back down from a challenge. He had gone into the afterlife to retrieve Sirius' soul… no, Harry wasn't going to give up and neither was he.
No matter what.
~ TTTC ~
Two officers led Brambilla into the interrogation room as Harry watched from the observation room next door. He noted how they chained her hands, tying her to the table, and then locking her feet into place by the chains on the floor.
The interrogation rooms in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement were devoid of all magic. No one could Apparate in and out, portkeys were impossible, and no one was permitted entry with a wand. They required someone on the outside to let them in and out for the safety of all involved. Watching Brambilla, Harry couldn't help but think that she hardly looked like a seasoned criminal.
Gone were the short skirts and tight blouses she'd worn as a professor, but the beauty of her still shone through the clear worn out look of her. She looked tired, a bit defeated, and a little sad.
Harry looked up when the door opened, his eyebrow rising at the sight of Sebastian and his partner Durant.
"Bas, what are you doing here?"
"Bloody hell!" Sebastian exclaimed, his eyes on the woman through the two-way charmed wall. "Lupin said you caught her, but wow, the bitch is really in there."
"So that's the real Black Widow," Durant said, staring at her and whistling. "I'll admit, she's gorgeous."
"And deadly," Sebastian warned. "She's killed more men than I can count on one hand." He turned to look at Harry. "We wanted to come sooner but Higgins said they were waiting on your return to interrogate her. D and I want to observe."
Harry nodded. "You studied her more than anyone, please do. You might see something that Higgins and I miss."
Sebastian made a pleased sound and crossed his arms. "All right."
Harry left Sebastian and Durant in the observation room and met Higgins in the hall. "Rex, I think that we should think about letting K and D in there to interview her."
"I agree," Higgins said. "Kane worked her case for months and he knows it better than any of us, but I want to talk to her first with you by my side."
Harry nodded, feeling a bit better about what was to come. They locked their wands in a case for safe keeping that was activated by their own magic's connection to the wand. A moment later they entered the interrogation room, the door locking behind them. Brambilla leaned back in her seat, the chains rattling as she moved. She let her eyes trail up and down Higgins in obvious feminine appreciation before doing the same to Harry.
"To what do I owe the pleasure, gentlemen?"
They both took their seats across from her and Higgins spoke first.
"You know why you're here, Brambilla."
"I don't answer to that name," she purred.
"No? What name would you prefer? Belladonna Brambilla? Belladonna Porzio? Belladonna Carthaginian? Belladonna Ricci? Bella Frost? Delta Brambilla? Donna Bram? Delta Billa? Ella Bram? Donna Carthaginian? Delta Carthaginian? Belle Fannucci? Delta Fannucci? Alessia Frost? Delta Gavino? Bella Bram? Belladonna Billa? Giana Bartolini? Need I go on?"
She smirked. "I see my reputation precedes me. Donna will do."
"Well, Donna," Higgins continued, his eyes on her. "You know how much trouble you're in. It doesn't matter what kind of fancy advocatus you get in here to defend your arse, you know you're going to die in the crypt."
She shrugged a shoulder as if indifferent.
"But maybe, just maybe, you can make your stay there a little more tolerable."
Brambilla moistened her lips deliberately slow. "Oh? Going to offer me conjugal visits, are you?" She scoffed. "You have nothing to bargain with, Auror Higgins. I have nothing left to lose."
"Maybe not," Higgins said. He waited for Harry to read her her rights before continuing. "Do you understand?"
"Yes, yes, go on," she said, a bored expression her face.
"All right," Higgins said. "Are you really that loyal to Lestrange and Crouch?"
She examined her nails. "Lestrange is a madwoman and Crouch is disgusting, but they had their uses."
"Did they? When Voldemort fell, you were the one leading them."
"The two of them are too driven by their own impulses to make their own decisions. They needed me and I used them as I saw fit with them none the wiser."
"Yeah, that checks out," Higgins said. "You're a user, aren't you, Donna? You take what you want from people and spit them back out again without a care for their life."
Her lips curved. "Forgive me, but it almost sounds like you admire me? Jealous, are we, love?"
"Hardly," Higgins said. "We know that it was you who decided to bring back Sirius Black."
She laughed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Oh, that was fun! Of course, he was harder to control than we anticipated. You really couldn't make him do anything he didn't want to do. I kept pressing in on him the importance of killing Potter, but he kept putting it off. He's a bit too much like Bella in that way, wanting to play the mental games until it was much too late. You found his soul. Ducky for you."
"Why Sirius?" Harry demanded, making the woman turn to look at him. "Why did you choose him?"
"I'm afraid that I can't take all of the credit for that, love. That was Bella," Brambilla admitted. "She figured it would make you suffer the most and she really wanted to stick it to her cousin's whore. She's a bit of a menace, that one."
The penguin Patronus came into the room then and Sebastian's voice dictated a private message just for Harry.
"Alessia," the penguin said.
Higgins raised an eyebrow at him so he cleared his throat.
"If you figured out from Dragomir's research how to bring back the dead, why did you choose Sirius over Alessia?"
Brambilla's eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare speak her name!"
"Alessia Delta Carthaginian?" Harry repeated. "That was the name of your daughter, wasn't it?"
"Dumbledore killed her! He left her to die!"
"Funny," Harry began. "Because from all reports and witnesses, it wasn't Dumbledore but the Death Eater known as Antonin Dolohov who killed her. You had a chance to run and save her life and you ignored it."
"Fuck you!" she hissed. "My daughter was worth ten of you!"
"If your daughter was so special then why didn't you try to bring her back instead of Sirius Black?"
Brambilla scowled, her fingers clenching hard enough to dig her nails into her palm. "Do you think that I didn't try? The bloody key to everything was all about a sacrifice! But it couldn't just be anyone. It had to be someone they loved, someone who loved them in return."
"Ah," Harry said, lifting an eyebrow. "And your life isn't worth your daughter's. Cowardly of you."
Brambilla screamed obscenities. "Do you think that I would bring her back into a world without me? Who would care for her? Love her? Even I am not that cruel!"
"I think cruelty is in the eye of the beholder, Brambilla," Harry said.
She sneered, but didn't correct his use of her original surname.
"Let's get back to this sacrifice that was needed," Higgins said, taking Brambilla's attention off of Harry. "The potion that Zacarias ingested prior, tell me about it."
Brambilla looked coy now. "Oh, that. It wasn't strictly necessary for the resurrection. It was just… insurance. Why should I kill her quickly when I could give Potter false hope that he could save her?"
Harry's breath caught and Brambilla smirked.
"Oops, do you still have false hope that you can save your mummy?"
Higgins grabbed Harry's arm and urged him out of the room before he could say something in response. They left Brambilla cackling behind them. When the door closed behind them, he tightened his grip Harry's arm.
"Hey! You knew that this was a possibility! She's goading you."
"Well, it's bloody-well working!" Harry exclaimed, dragging a finger through his hair and making it stand up on end. "It wasn't necessary? It was an insurance policy? She's a foul, sadistic bitch!"
"Not a truer word spoken," Durant said as he and Sebastian came to stand next to them.
"She's goading you, Harry. It's personal for you and she knows it. It gives her power. What do you say to letting D and I take a crack at her?"
Higgins gestured towards the door. "Go for it. Potter and I already discussed you two having a stronger chance at getting her to talk. You know her case better than anyone and I think it's best if Harry stays out of the room for a bit."
"I'm fine, Rex," Harry insisted.
"Maybe," Higgins said. "But I could use a breather. Let's observe."
Durant flashed them a dazzling white smile. "Besides, me and K? We love interrogation."
Harry couldn't help but smile at that as he watched the Auror guard let the two MIA Aurors into the interrogation room after securing their wands. He followed Higgins into the adjoining observation room and shoved his hands into his pockets. Higgins used his wand to amplify the sound in the room and the two of them leaned back against the table and watched the interview unfold before them.
"Mmm, more eye candy," Brambilla purred. "Must be my lucky day."
"You like a good looking man?" Durant asked, biting his bottom lip.
"Who doesn't?" Brambilla said. "I like to unwrap them even more."
Durant chuckled and folded his hands on the table in front of him. "I bet you do. Sex is your game."
"Sex isn't a game," Brambilla said. "It's an art."
Durant smiled. "I'm Auror D'Estienne d'Orves and this is Auror Kane. We work for the Magical Intelligence Agency's Secret Intelligence Unit."
Brambilla licked her lips. "Oooh, sending in the bad boys now. You show me yours and I'll show you mine."
"Is that how you seduced Anthony Porzio?" Sebastian demanded, turning her attention to him.
Brambilla smiled and leaned back in her seat. "That's a name I haven't heard in years. Anthony Porzio… it didn't take much to seduce him if I'm honest. I was barely seventeen when I met him; he was sixty-seven. I flashed a little skin, got a little handsy, and the next thing I knew I had a big shiny rock on my finger."
"He was rich, wasn't he?"
She shrugged. "He was. He promised me the world and he took my virginity, grunting over me like some ogre. I was heartbroken when he left me a widow."
"Poisoned, wasn't he?"
"I believe his heart stopped rather suddenly. It was very unfortunate," she said, her eyes twinkling.
"It's interesting that you married Porzio so quickly after trying to marry Antonio Zabini. Rumour is, he didn't want you. I believe that he was more interested in your younger sister, Bellarosa."
Brambilla's eyes narrowed. "Half-sister. Antonio was a notorious flirt. Nothing more. He had nothing I wanted."
"Funny because I heard that he was everything you wanted and he chose your sister over you," Sebastian said.
"That's a lie! Antonio was never good enough for me!"
"Hmm," Durant said. "But Gavino Carthaginian was?"
"Gavino understood me. He took a heartbroken young widow under his wing and cherished me."
Sebastian snorted. "Heartbroken? You were barely married to Porzio for six months."
"It was a good six months," she insisted. "He was my first… you never forget your first."
"Even when they grunt like an ogre?" Durant prompted.
Brambilla gave him a slow smile. "It got better over time."
"What about your parents?" Sebastian asked. "Enzo and Vittoria Brambilla?"
"What about them?"
"Aurors found them dead a few months after you and your sister were both married. Poisoned."
"Bella was always dangerous. She killed them."
"Did she?" Durant asked. "That's strange because the autopsy reports found the same poison in their systems that Anthony Porzio died of."
Brambilla gasped, her eyes widening in horror. "Are you saying that my sister murdered my husband? That bitch! I want to press charges."
Sebastian snorted. "Cut the drama, Brambilla. We both know that Bellarosa didn't murder your first husband or your parents. You did. You attended Durmstrang Academy and were one of the top Potions students every year. You studied plants in Herbology known for their deadly attributes and you were suspended in your fifth year for poisoning a girl in your house."
"That was an accident."
"Really?" Sebastian replied. "If it was an accident, how come that poison is the base for the very poison that killed Porzio as well as Enzo and Vittoria Brambilla? Seventeen years old, an attempted murder and three deaths under your belt. You were a busy girl, but then you met Gavino and he gave you a daughter."
Brambilla's lips twitched as if she was hiding a smirk. "Gavino understood me. He could see Bellarosa for what she really was, a jealous bitch who wanted what I had."
"What did you have that she didn't? By the time you had your daughter, Bellarosa had been happily married for a few years, had a son."
When she didn't answer, Sebastian continued.
"Gavino and Alessia were murdered by Antonin Dolohov in 1981 and two years later, Antonio Zabini was killed when Voldemort's Death Eaters suddenly discovered his whereabouts. It's interesting that it was almost two years after Voldemort had fallen. Bet he thought he was safe by then, didn't he, D?"
"Very interesting," Durant agreed. "It's almost as if someone was jealous of the family life her sister was living with her husband and young son and wanted to hurt her? I mean, how else could they have been left alone for so long before suddenly being found years after Voldemort's downfall in Godric's Hollow?"
Brambilla's lips thinned. "Antonio was a selfish bastard!"
Sebastian's eyes met hers. "And you gave up his location. You stood back and watched as he was killed, as your sister was raped, and you did nothing. Instead, you moved on to another husband, Ricardo Ricci. You stayed married to him for almost four years before he died of a poison we know soon became your speciality called Lover's Kiss whilst you were having an affair with a man named Herman Frost. Then your sister married a second time, Tristian Beauchamp, the Comte de Marseille. Suddenly, Beauchamp died of Lover's Kiss and rumours begin to surface that he had been unfaithful to his wife. Lord Stephen Barkley married your sister two years after Beauchamp's death and died of Lover's Kiss three months after the marriage and Herman Frost died of the same ailment soon after. Do you see a pattern here, Donna?"
She examined her nails as if she was bored. "Men are fickle creatures. If they knew how to keep it in their pants, Bella wouldn't have to punish them."
"We know that it wasn't your sister who punished them, Brambilla. You can stop sprouting that bullshit. Bellarosa has never had a gift for potions. In fact, she barely passed her potions tests in school. No, it was you felt the need to punish them," Durant said. "David Sanders, Bellarosa's fourth husband was last seen talking to you before he accidentally fell off of his broomstick in a freak accident that you created. In the meantime, Bella Frost married James Kent who died on his honeymoon from Lover's Kiss. Romeo Romano, Walter Cortland, Sullivan O'Ryan, Pierre Lesperance, Nick Chow… they all met you, Donna, and soon after they were all found dead, poisoned by a mysterious substance known as Lover's Kiss."
Sebastian tapped his fingers as he spoke. "Then of course there are the others who barely made a blip in your history: Haruto Kimura, Archer Martin, Ivan Semenov, Rodrigo Silva, and Tommaso Bianchi… they were all killed by Lover's Kiss before Delta Carthaginian appeared on the scene as the new professor hired to teach at Hogwarts."
Brambilla smiled now. "Men are so easy to fool. A few good phrases, a coy smile, and suddenly I was the perfect candidate to help shape young minds in their new and improved curriculum."
"And engaged to fashion mogul Leonardo Fannucci," Sebastian said.
"Who happens to be missing," Durant continued. "He's been missing for almost two years and the last person known to have seen him was his new wife, Delta Fannucci."
"Not that his fiancée was in any way loyal to her new man," Sebastian said, lifting an eyebrow. "While Fannucci was working in Rome, she was teaching at Hogwarts and seducing and killing. Let's see there was Angus Campbell and Dougal Smith from Scotland; Kamen and Khristo Draganov, the Bulgarian twin brothers who went missing during the World Cup. Then there's Fannucci's intern, Lorenzo Russo, the French diplomat, Alexandre Bailieu, and of course Samuel Crowley and Edward Quiad from London."
"Don't forget the French baker, Claud Toussaint," Durant added.
"Or the German magiarchitect Klaus Müeller," Sebastian continued. "Dylan O'Malley was an Irish journalist who started to see a pattern in the use of Lover's Kiss. He reported his findings in an article in the Irish Prophet and a few days later was found dead of the very same poison with a rather taunting message left behind. Then there's Lord Jason Standard, the fifth husband of your sister, Bellarosa. He was torn to shreds by werewolves, but it's funny how you were the one who sent him out into their path on the full moon…"
Brambilla licked her lips. "That's a lovely story. I'm honoured you think I could seduce so many men with just my womanly wiles."
"Oh, you can and it gets better," Durant said, leaning forward a bit. "You see, Carthaginian helped kidnap Albus Dumbledore; then she returned to the arms of Lord Voldemort as a loyal spy. Voldemort seems to have kept you on a tighter leash or kept you too busy to worry about murdering men so often, but when he's killed by Harry Potter, you lose it. Suddenly, an intelligent, slightly mad, and sadistic Potioneer with a gift for runes has access to some of the darkest magic the world has seen in centuries. Looking for a leader of sorts, Lestrange and Crouch turn to you and you make up this crackpot scheme to bring Sirius Black back from the dead."
"You boys give me a lot of credit."
"Cut the shit, Brambilla," Sebastian demanded. "Without even talking about Black and Zacarias, we have you for thirty-three counts of murder. You'll die in the crypt before you're ever even talking about being set free."
Brambillla trailed her tongue along her bottom lip and leaned forward, her fingers brushing Durant's. "Love, if you want to have a chat about dead people at least get the numbers right." She leaned back in her chair, the chains rattling. "It's a lot more than thirty-three."
Durant's eyes darkened. "With all of the death you've caused, why did you decide to let Zacarias live?"
"As I said, that's temporary."
"Why?"
She smirked. "Because after spending so much time with Lestrange and Crouch, I learned that letting it drag out is so much for fun."
Harry swore, his fingers digging into the wood behind him.
Higgins sighed. "She thinks she's in control, Potter, but she's not. She wants to talk. Look at her, she's dying to tell her story; to brag about what she's done, and when she does, she's going to spill more about the potion and the spell to bring Black back."
"How do you know?" Harry demanded. "All she's doing is taunting Bas and Durant in there."
Higgins shook his head. "No, she's intrigued with how much we know. Trust me, Harry, she'll talk."
Harry tried to not let his frustration show as he turned back to the interrogation room as Sebastian and Durant asked more questions. He knew that Higgins was right, she would talk. The problem was how long she was going to drag it out because the one thing they couldn't afford to lose was more time.
And that's what worried him the most.
~ TTTC ~
Harry, Higgins, Baxter, and Ron interrogated and observed Belladonna Brambilla for three days straight with more assistance from Sebastian and Durant. The crimes she admitted to, the people she killed… it was hard to stomach.
And that was all before they even got to the stuff about the runes.
Dante Dragomir had been her professor and not only did she excel at runes, but was the top Potions student at Durmstrang Academy. Her skills were quickly put to use, not only to brew a deadly poison known as Lover's Kiss which she used to murder husbands, lovers, and many, many others, but also brewing Polyjuice Potion, Amethyst Inferno, and anything else Voldemort or his followers needed from her.
Her lust for the potion known as Lover's Kiss was because she loved watching it slowly devour her victims.
"It's about control," Brambilla said when Higgins asked her why she chose that particular brand of poison. "Sex is a means to an end, but fucking a man, keeping him under your thumb and on the edge of orgasm only to kiss him with poison on your lips… that's truly orgasmic. To watch the way it festers like acid; skin bubbling and burning as they choke to death… and that's if I kiss them on their lips…"
She'd admitted to killing some Muggles; seducing them and using her poisonous lips on various parts of their anatomy.
"If you think it kills through the mouth well…"
Harry really would rather not think about that aspect. Ron and Baxter had gone to the Muggle police to gain access to records and found eleven unsolved cases of men killed with what was clearly Lover's Kiss. There were three others where the cause of death had been concluded as some form of deadly allergic reaction on their testicles, but new evidence proved that the reaction came from the poison known as Lover's Kiss.
When it came to the husbands of Bellarosa Zabini, Brambilla was more than happy to admit to those killings as well, claiming that her sister was too soft to do it herself and too stupid to realize the deaths weren't accidental.
"The only time she even remotely suspected was with Stanford and the werewolves," Brambilla bragged.
When it came to the runes, that's where her eyes lit up. The spells that Dragomir's had provided were ancient and only in parts. It had required a lot of imagination on her part and a bit of trial and error to get things just right.
"The resurrection potion that the Dark Lord invented to return him to his body was a big part of the process," she explained. "Without it, we never would have been able to exhume Sirius Black like we did. Bellatrix was only too happy to dig up the bones of her Uncle Orion and the lies she told Black about how he died… I knew it was only a matter of time before he truly remembered what happened. I tried to keep his memories at bay with a potion, but he was smarter than I thought. He wanted to play mind games with Potter and then he started asking questions — too many questions. I thought he was finally and truly going to kill him that day in the field until Potter shoved his fucking soul back into his body."
The potion that she'd brewed for Zee, the one that had been lost for centuries, was another bit of mismatch and guesswork on her part. Brambilla hadn't been sure it would work, but she knew that it was vital to keep Zacarias alive in some state.
"Weren't you worried after the use of her heart?" Higgins demanded.
Brambilla shrugged. "I knew it could be reversible at any time and I needed it to be. As much as I wanted Black to kill Potter, I knew that we wouldn't be able to control him forever. The plan was once he got rid of Potter, we would bring Zacarias back. She would have to kill Black to save her kids and Bellatrix would cut their throats before we gave Zacarias to Crouch. Once Potter was dead, Bellatrix wanted to end the rest of the Black line. She claimed that if they were going to taint the ancient and noble house of Black then it was her job to eradicate it. She had a whole list that included the Lupins as well."
"Can we assume the Lupin family is still in danger then?" Higgins asked.
"Let's just say that murdering her niece and great-nephew is pretty high on her to-do list."
More information came out about the potion and the shelf life, but unfortunately it was nothing that Slughorn and Borage hadn't already told them. However they did discover that Brambilla had used two familiar names in order to gain rare potion ingredients to perform her plan: Fletcher Fleming and Leland Hauser. They listened to her explain about the potions used, one to resurrect and one to keep Zee in a frozen state. She confirmed what Slughorn and Borage had hypothesized: They had a little over a month left before the potion would wear off and Zee's life would simply fade away.
Harry rubbed his hands over his eyes as he finished writing his report for the day, shoving his glasses onto his forehead to do so. He found Hermione standing in front of his desk in his cubicle in the bullpen and he shoved his glasses back into place to see her more clearly.
"Hermione, hi."
"Hi," she said, leaning against his desk. "I've been doing a lot of thinking about the potion and working it out in my head in my spare time and I think I figured something out, Harry."
Harry's eyebrows shot up. He was too used to Hermione's matter of fact speech to even wonder how she could jump into such a serious conversation without pretence.
"What? Figured what out?"
Hermione bit her lip. "Well, I went to Hogwarts with Barnaby today to talk to the house elves there about this community event that I'm organizing. The event is meant to bring house elves together from all over the United Kingdom and to get them talking and mingling, to discuss the changes we're making in their lifestyle and the changes that we want to make in how they're treated. We're hoping that if we can get a big turn out, it will give us the opportunity to answer questions, to help increase the desire for wages and fair treatment from employers. It's going to be a huge achievement for not only my department, but for the changes the Ministry is making as a whole under Minister Jones."
"Hermione!"
"Right, sorry," she said, reining in her words. "Anyway, while we were talking to the elves, one of them, Daisy, mentioned something about how house elves are tied to their families but more directly to a bloodline in their own families, not the wizarding ones. Well, that got me thinking about the potion Zee was given to freeze her so that her heart could directly be used to help Sirius."
"How is that the same thing?" Harry demanded, not remotely understanding how his friend's mind worked most days.
"I have a point," Hermione insisted. "If Zee's heart was used in the potion as a potential sacrifice to bring Sirius back and we then restored her heart through the potion, then her heart isn't directly correlated to Sirius' life."
Harry frowned. "Borage and Slughorn are both pretty confident that it is. If Sirius lives, she dies."
"Yes, in theory I quite agree, but I don't think that the potion is strictly tied to Sirius and Zee themselves. I think it's tied to the sacrificial element."
"What do you mean?" he demanded.
Hermione tilted her head, a light of wisdom in her eye as she spoke. "Sacrifice is a big thing, Harry. You know how detrimental it can be in events. It was the sacrifice of Lily Potter that saved your life when you were a baby. She willingly gave her life to save yours and her surrender, giving her life in order to protect you, gave you a protection that stayed with you for years. It was so powerful that had Voldemort not made Horcruxes, he would have been killed that night."
When Harry only stared, she moved to sit on the edge of the desk.
"A mother's love is one of the most powerful things in the world. They say that a mother can do incredible things to protect their children from a rush of adrenaline that gives them strength to do things they could never do if it wasn't in the heat of the moment. Zee has been your mum, Harry, for almost a decade. She's loved you and been there for you through it all. She was by your side when they removed the Horcrux, when you returned from the graveyard, when Sirius died, when Ginny was given the potion to keep you two apart, and in the final battle. In her attempt to keep you safe, Voldemort used her as bait and Ron saved her when she she stopped breathing that day."
"I know," Harry whispered. "He saved her only for us to be stupid enough to let our guard down and let her get kidnapped!"
"We did let our guard down," she admitted. "We didn't learn from the first war and we let our guard down. Three Death Eaters escaped and were on the loose and yet we didn't remain vigilant. But that's not why she was taken, Harry."
"No," he agreed. "She was taken because I love her and people I love have a nasty habit of ending up dead."
"No," Hermione exclaimed, glaring at him. "Stop blaming yourself for this! It's not your fault! Listen to what I'm saying, Harry. She was taken because of the need for a sacrifice out of love. Like Lily sacrificed herself to save you, Zee 'sacrificed' herself to give Sirius back to you."
"But she didn't," he retorted. "It wasn't willing. She didn't sacrifice herself like my mum did in my nursery, Hermione. Zee was intentionally sacrificed by someone else. She didn't plan on giving her life."
"And that's how you're going to save her," Hermione said.
Harry stared at her for a full minute, taking in her wide excited brown eyes and her parted lips. "I'm sorry, what?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's about the sacrifice, Harry! Sacrifice, defined as 'to surrender or give up for the sake of something or someone else.' Zee didn't willingly surrender or give up. She fought until the very end."
"And?"
"And that means the sacrifice is different, Harry. It wasn't a genuine sacrifice."
Harry's eyes darkened as he suddenly realized what she was saying. "Wait, so you mean that a real sacrifice could bring her back? Like Uncle Sirius is right and if he dies to save her, that will be a willing sacrifice? No, Hermione! I won't let him die to save her and I won't lose her either!"
"No," Hermione said, shaking her head. "That's not what I mean, Harry. It's not him or her. It's about the act itself."
Harry swallowed. "That's not any better because what you're saying is that someone has to willingly die for her in order to save her and I'm not going to risk anyone else's life in order to do that. Zee wouldn't want that."
"I know," Hermione said, touching his arm. "But it gives us another angle to study. Maybe Borage or Slughorn will have something more to say on the matter."
Harry wasn't sure if there was anything else to add, but he did know that he refused to hit another dead end. After everything he had lost in eighteen years, he knew one thing with absolute certainty, he wasn't losing Zee without a fight.
