Don't hate me, don't hate me, don't hate me, don't hate me, don't hate me….
I do not own Harry Potter
Chapter Eighteen
Adeline sighed, rubbing her eyes in annoyance as the potion did nothing for Albus' hand. She and Severus had tried multiple potions over the course of the past six months now with little to no results. Severus had confided in Adeline what Albus had asked of him and Adeline was trying to find a way to save Severus from having to kill the man that he'd seen as a father figure for so long.
"I believe I've found another horcrux," Albus spoke up, distracting Adeline.
"I thought it was just the snake and Harry left?" Adeline asked in confusion.
"I believe I found another one near the orphanage where he grew up," Albus told her.
Adeline nodded, feeling annoyed at the sheer amount of horcruxes Tom had made. It made her stomach turn to think about, the idea of ripping ones soul apart.
"When do we go get it?" Adeline asked.
"I'll fetch it in two weeks," Albus told her.
"Okay," Adeline nodded. "Send word if you need assistance."
"I will. How is Miss Parkinson coming along?" Albus asked.
"Draco is helping her with the cabinet. It should be ready soon," Adeline nodded. "He's a hand at charms and cursed objects."
"Well, he had exceptional tutors," Albus smirked.
"That he did," Adeline nodded, a soft smile on her face.
"I want to thank you, Adeline, for everything," Albus' voice was soft, a twinkle in his eyes. "For the spying, for the potions, for everything that you did in the shadows that no one knows about. You were a wonderful friend and are a magnificent witch. I hope you don't lose anything in this war."
"Don't talk like that," Adeline said, voice soft. "I'm going to figure this out."
"Severus told you what I've asked of him," Albus nodded.
"He has. I'd rather he didn't have to kill the person he looked up to for so long."
"It will secure his place among the death eaters and Voldemort."
"I know it will," Adeline nodded, voice a whisper. "It'll break him in ways you don't understand though."
"I may understand better than you think."
"You don't," Adeline shook her head. "Take it from someone who has killed a parent before. It's not a pleasant experience, even if you are justified in your actions."
"I know you aren't thinking of Walburga," Albus smirked.
"That bitch deserved worse than what I did," Adeline grumbled. "I'm thinking of Orion. I tried to make it quick, remembering how he'd tried to protect me when the Shafiq's had been abusing me. I also remembered him not protecting me from Walburga, not protecting Siri, so it was still painful."
Albus nodded, seeming deep in thought for a moment before dismissing Adeline. Adeline flooed back to her living quarters, sighing as she crawled into bed between Sirius and Remus, Remus immediately wrapping his arms around her and holding her close.
Severus and Hermione had grown quite close, him offering any information she asked for, giving her intellectual conversations to go with it. Adeline had smiled as she watched the two act more like father-daughter than teacher-student in the past eight months. Hermione had approached her about blood adoption the day after her conversation with Albus.
"Who do you want to be blood adopted by?" Adeline asked curiously.
"You and Professor Snape," Hermione whispered.
"What was that?" Adeline asked, having heard the young girl but wanting to be sure.
"You and Professor Snape," Hermione repeated, the nervousness having left her voice as she stood taller.
"Much better," Adeline smiled. "Have you spoken to him about it?"
"I haven't," Hermione shook her head.
"He can be a bit intimidating," Adeline smirked. "I would be more than happy to adopt you. I'm sure Severus would feel the same way, but you should talk to him about it first. Here. Take this book."
Hermione had left with the same book that Harry had been given. Severus had approached Adeline half an hour later, looking panicked and in shock.
"So, you talked to Hermione, yeah?" Adeline smirked, sipping her tea.
"She can do better," Severus sighed, rubbing his face harshly as he fell into the chair beside her.
"What?" Remus asked, confused.
"Hermione wants to be blood adopted by Severus and myself," Adeline explained. "I told her I was more than willing but she needed to talk to Sev first. How'd it go?"
"I told her yes," Severus whispered, seeming to still be in shock. "Why would I do such a thing?"
"Because you love her like the daughter you never got?" Adeline offered, staring at Severus with deep intent. "Tonight? None of us have plans tomorrow. Gives us time to get some rest."
That night, Adeline, Severus, Remus, Sirius, Draco and Hermione went to the cottage. Adeline and Severus brewed the potion, Hermione watching on in fascination. They went into the forest, repeating the same ritual Adeline had done with Harry, Hermione having to cut both of her hands this time, one over the cup in front of Severus and the other over the cup in front of Adeline. Adeline held Hermione's left hand in both of hers, Severus taking her right. They chanted for hours before going inside, all three needing help to their rooms before sleeping for the entire day and night.
Two weeks later, Draco had fixed the cabinet, telling Adeline immediately. The death eaters would be coming through in a matter of hours. The adults tried pretending that everything was fine, sending the students off to their common rooms early, telling them wards needed to be updated. Adeline rubbed her face, watching as Harry and Aster tried hanging back before leaving with the crowd of students.
Adeline walked through the school with Severus, keeping an eye out and waiting for everything to begin. Albus had left an hour after the students had been sent away, causing Adeline to feel more paranoid than normal, as if she were missing something. Two hours later, Hermione ran to them, Luna beside her.
"Death eaters," Hermione breathed.
"Astronomy tower," Luna added, out of breath.
"Get to your common rooms," Adeline told them as she and Severus took off.
They ran into the spell fire, Adeline blocking a spell as it flew towards Clary, continuing to follow Severus. Adeline stopped just outside the door to the astronomy tower, noticing a ward in front of it. Severus stopped, turning to look back at her before continuing on. Adeline threw her cloak aside, starting on the wards. It took her two minutes before she rushed up the stairs, tossing another ward in place to block anyone from following her.
Severus had his wand raised, pointed at Albus.
"What do we have here?" Adeline asked, causing everyone to turn to her.
Pansy visible relaxed at the sight of her, Draco standing beside her. Fenrir smiled, yellow teeth on display and blood on him. Lucius glared at Adeline, Peter and the Carrows staring in shock.
"How'd you get through the ward?" Lucius questioned.
"Did you really think a ward would keep me from this little party?" Adeline questioned, looking over to Albus. "Albus."
"Adeline," Albus gave her a strange look as she stepped forward, going to Severus' side.
"Together?" she asked him, eyes roaming over the tower and seeing two brooms in the corner.
"Always," Severus nodded.
"Avada Kedava," Adeline and Severus spoke, Adeline's spell hitting the mark as Severus' missed by a hair.
They watched as Albus toppled over the tower, dead long before he would hit the ground. Adeline sighed, hands going to her hips.
"Mistress," Fenrir breathed.
"You should go," Adeline spoke up. "Get the kids out of here. Send word when you can."
Severus nodded to her, turning and grabbing Draco and Pansy's arms, dragging them away. Adeline waved her wand, dropping the ward she'd set. Once the death eaters were on the run, Adeline looked towards the brooms again. She let out a sigh and moved forward, hand outstretched. She pulled the cloak off of Harry and Aster, the two staring at her in shock, tears on both of their faces.
"I'm sorry that you had to see that," she whispered. "We need to go. I'll explain everything later."
Adeline took Harry and Aster to the hospital wing, finding a group surrounding one bed. Harry and Aster rushed forward immediately, joining the group. Remus and Sirius sighed in relief when they saw her, giving her a strange look when she turned and walked out of the hospital wing instead of joining them. She called for Wobky, having him take her to Grimmauld. She grabbed her pensieve and pulled memories from her head, placing them in a vial beside the pensieve before pouring herself a glass of firewhiskey.
Adeline sat at the table, waiting for the order to arrive, knowing they would be there soon. She called for Kreature and Wobky, telling them to ward all of the houses against Lucius Malfoy and to send word to Sissy. Adeline had finished half the bottle by the time Alastor and Kingsley entered the dining room. Adeline pushed the memories over to them, sitting back again and remaining silent.
It took half an hour and almost the rest of the bottle for Kinsley and Alastor to finish the memories. They both stared at Adeline, not really sure what to say or do in the moment. Alastor took the seat beside her and Adeline waved her wand, a glass and new bottle landing in front of him, pouring him a glass. Kingsley let out a rough breath before joining them, Adeline summoning him a glass as well.
Sirius walked in as Adeline finished her bottle, Alastor and Kingsley making quite the dent in theirs. Adeline took her memories back, waving her wand and sending the pensieve away. Sirius sat beside Adeline, just staring at her.
"Harry and Aster?" she asked, voice soft.
"Sleeping at the cottage," Sirius told her. "Remus is with them, along with Tiffy. Why are you here?"
"Did they tell you what happened?" Adeline asked.
"No," Sirius shook his head, seeming confused. "They've been quiet."
"I killed Albus Dumbledore," Adeline told him, voice growing thick as a new bottle flew to her, pouring into the glass.
"No," Sirius gasped.
"She did," Alastor nodded. "Showed us the memories leading up to it and everything."
"So, now you're all getting smashed?" Sirius questioned.
"Join us?" Adeline asked.
"There's no love lost between you and Albus. Why are you so upset?" he asked.
"Albus was insufferable and didn't trust me as far as he could throw me, but he was there. He was always there when someone needed him and he always had a plan to save as many people as he possibly could. I hated the man, but I admired him. We were friends and allies," Adeline explained. "It was all rather complicated."
"Mistress?" Wobky spoke up, Kreature standing beside him. "The houses are warded."
"Thank you," Adeline nodded. "You can both go get some rest."
"Warded?" Sirius asked once the elves had popped away.
"Lucius," Adeline growled out. "I should have let him go to Azkaban the first time around. I was too worried about Sissy and Draco, about what would happen to them if he wasn't there to protect them. I should have just protected them myself."
"Lucius betrayed us?" Sirius gasped.
"Can't betray us if he was never one of us," Adeline shrugged, sipping her whiskey.
Sirius took her glass, downing what was left in the cup, along with the next glass that got poured.
"Right," he sighed. "I think we need to get you home."
"I'm not done stewing yet," Adeline grumbled, not moving.
"Do I need to get Remus?" Sirius' brows raised.
"You can get him, but I'm still not moving yet," Adeline rolled her eyes. "I can be more stubborn than he is. If people could stop going to Remus every time they think I'm being difficult, that would be wonderful."
Sirius sighed, stood, and left the room. Adeline heard the floo fire to life and waited. A few moments later, the floo roared to life again and Adeline groaned, knowing before he even reached the room that Remus had arrived to handle her. Alastor and Kingsley both chuckled, causing Adeline to glare at them before turning as the door opened, revealing a haggard looking Remus.
"Hello, love," Adeline sighed. "Drink?"
"Albus is dead and you three decided to have a wake without the rest of us?" Remus asked.
"I figured I deserved a drink before I was arrested for his murder," Adeline shrugged, downing her glass.
"We figured we'd need a few drinks to bring ourselves to try arresting her," Kingsley shrugged.
"Can't really arrest someone who did a mercy killing," Alastor pointed out.
"Wait, wait, wait. Why would you be arrested for his murder?" Remus questioned, seeming confused until Adeline gave him a pointed look. "Adie, no."
"Adie, yes," Adeline rolled her eyes, taking another sip. "I think I may be thoroughly sloshed now."
"I think you need to drink a few more glasses to get there," Alastor offered.
"Yes but I have children to go home to tomorrow and no hangover potion brewed. Well, I have two brewed but I planned on giving them to the two of you," Adeline shrugged.
"In that case, more please," Kingsley sighed and his glass filled.
"I should have had Kreature raid the Malfoy wine cellar and steal every bottle," Adeline complained.
"You killed Albus," Remus breathed out.
"Are we surprised?" Adeline asked. "I would have preferred for Harry and Aster to not have witnessed it though."
"Harry and Aster saw it?" Remus asked, standing taller and seeming angry.
"Yup," Adeline popped the 'p'. "They were under the cloak in the corner. No idea why they were there but I have a feeling it can be used as a motive once I figure it out."
"Adeline!" Remus yelled, causing her to jump, staring at him in shock. "You killed Albus Dumbledore. How are you acting so nonchalantly about this?"
"Firewhiskey," Adeline answer honestly, holding up the empty bottle. "Also, Lucius is no longer in the family. I need to go blast him from the family tree, something I never thought I would get the pleasure of doing."
Adeline stood, leaving the dining room and heading to the sitting room. She stared at the tapestry, seeing Lucius connecting to Sissy. Adeline sighed, before slowly moving her wand.
"Aufer nota vincula. Nexum perdere. Purgatio sanguinis lineae," Adeline spoke clearly, moving her wand in fluid motions, making the shape of an infinity symbol before pointing at Lucius, causing his face to be destroyed, a black spot remaining behind.
Adeline sighed, falling into a chair and rubbing her face roughly before sitting forward and staring at the black mark. She knew he would feel what she had done, even if he wasn't truly a Black. Sirius had felt it when Walburga had burnt him off the family tapestry, he'd told her when they were sneaking around when they were younger, back when he wrote her poetry and drew her pictures.
Remus stood in the doorway, just watching her.
"I never thought I would have to do that," she said, voice cracking slightly. "I thought it would be Bella but it turned out that she was being poisoned. Poisoned with a potion that I helped to create. I thought Lucy was loyal to me and to Sissy. I was so, so wrong, Remy. How could I be so wrong?"
"I don't know what to say to you right now," Remus admitted. "I know that, as your partner, I should be trying to make you feel better right now. As an Order member, I should want to attack you but I know we can't best each other."
"He was already dying," Adeline told him. "The ring had a curse on it and he touched it. The curse was going to take him slowly and painfully. Severus was supposed to kill him to secure his place as a spy. I couldn't let him do it though. It would have broken him."
"What of you, Adie? Are you telling me it didn't break you?" Remus questioned.
"I'm already broken," Adeline shrugged. "You don't know everything, every curse I've cast, every life I've taken, every person I've tortured. I'm not sure how much of me is even left anymore. I may have nothing left to give."
"I don't want you around the children," Remus said, causing Adeline to stare at him in shock. "They aren't safe with you. We're supposed to protect them, even if that means from each other. You're too dangerous, Adeline."
"You knew I was dangerous when you were a second year," Adeline reminded him. "You've always known. Why is it now, after a mercy killing that protected someone else's soul, that I'm suddenly too dangerous?"
"I can't do this," Remus breathed out, turning and leaving.
Adeline didn't follow. She turned back to the tapestry, staring at where Lucius had been for a bit longer. She saw something changing in her peripheral and looked at Sissy's face in confusion before her eyes widened.
"Kreacher! Wobky!"
The elves appeared and Kingsley and Alastor ran in.
"Get Sissy and Draco, now! Hurry!"
"What's going on?" Bella asked, rubbing her eyes as she entered the room.
"What is it?" Alastor asked, looking around the room with his magical eye.
Adeline just stared at the tapestry, watching as a death date appeared under Sissy's name. Bella's eyes locked on, staring in shock and going to Adeline's side. The two stared, waiting for word. It took nearly twenty minutes for Wobky to return. Draco was clutching Sissy's body, crying silent tears. Bella screamed, falling to her knees. Adeline took a step back, staring before shaking her head.
"Where's Kreature?"
"Kreature be gone, mistress," Wobky sniffled. "I couldn't bring him back. The snake got him."
Adeline's back was against the wall. She raised her wand.
"Expecto Patronum," she tried, but nothing happened. "Fuck."
Adeline went to the floo, appearing in the cottage. Remus looked up at her in confusion before anger over took his face. She ignored him, going to Sirius where he stood in the kitchen.
"I need you to send a patronus to Andy, telling her to get to Grimmauld now," Adeline told him.
Sirius sent the patronus, confusion clear on his face.
"Is Hermione here?"
"In her room," Sirius nodded.
"Why are you here?" Remus growled out.
"Remus, I love you, but if you don't get out of my way right now I will never brew you a pain potion again. Move," Adeline hissed out.
Remus stumbled back in shock. Sirius ran to the floo, heading to Grimmauld without question as Adeline moved to the stairs. Aster stepped out of his room, rubbing his eyes roughly as Adeline passed.
"Mum?" he asked, but Adeline opened Hermione's door, waving her wand and lighting lanterns immediately.
Hermione groaned before sitting up, staring at Adeline in confusion. Adeline leaned down, whispering in Hermione's ear before stepping out of the room. Hermione began rushing around her room, changing her clothes in a flurry of movements before Adeline even had the door closed.
"What's happened?" Harry asked, staring at Adeline in confusion.
"I need you both to get dressed," Adeline told them. "We need to go to Grimmauld."
"Why are you taking them?" Remus asked.
"Get dressed. I'll meet you there," Adeline told the boys, moving pass them and grabbed Remus' arm.
Once she'd dragged him downstairs, she threw floo powder into the fire place, calling out Grimmauld and pushing him through. She went through next, still able to hear Bella screaming in pain. Adeline went to her immediately, pulling Bella into her arms and rocking her back and forth. Sirius was doing the same for Draco as Remus stared into the room.
"Fuck," Remus breathed, turning back to the sitting room to intercept the boys.
Hermione ran pass him, going straight to Draco and unable to look at Sissy as she went. Draco went to Hermione immediately, his crying turning to loud sobs now that she was present. Adeline lifted Bella to her feet, pulling her from the room, Hermione doing the same with Draco as Sirius followed, seemingly in shock.
"Make her comfortable," Adeline told Wobky, voice shaking. "Do you know who did it?"
"Lucius, mistress," Wobky told her.
Adeline bit her cheek, trying to hold in the threats that immediately came to mind before she finally got Bella out of the room. Andy and Ted entered the manor then and Adeline couldn't find any words. Bella ran to Andy, wrapping her in a tight hug and telling her that Sissy was gone in between sobs. Adeline began to wonder if blasting Lucius from the family tapestry was the reason for his attack before remembering that Sissy was loyal to house Black before anything else, knowing she would have fought him tooth and nail in the end.
Adeline went back into the sitting room, watching as Wobky placed Sissy on the couch and crossed her arms across her chest. Adeline waved her wand, fixing Sissy's makeup and changing her clothes to what would be accepted. Adeline had a strange sense of deja-vu, thinking of Dorcas for a moment. Adeline leaned against the wall, just staring at Sissy and refusing to cry. No one entered the room, but Adeline knew they'd all moved to the dining room, Harry and Aster included when she'd heard their voices at some point. Adeline occluded, blocking her emotions and wondering if this was what Walburga had done and why she'd become so cold and twisted.
As the sun began to rise, Adeline left the room, going to the dining room and found the remaining Black's, Tonks included, having appeared at some point, along with Hermione, Harry, and Remus. Andy, Bella, and Sirius stared at her, waiting for the head of their house to speak, to give them direction of any kind.
"Wobky?" he popped in beside her. "Is Severus alive?"
"He is. Wobky can feel him."
"Is he in pain?"
"No."
"Thank you, Wobky. Go keep an eye on him. Stay out of sight and bring him here if something goes wrong."
Wobky popped away and Adeline took a deep, steadying breath.
"From this moment forward, the house of Black is at war with the house of Malfoy and Gaunt."
When Adeline spoke, green sparks flew through the air, the challenge obvious as ancient magics were invoked. Sirius, Andy, and Bella stared at Adeline in amazement.
"What does that mean for me?" Draco asked, voice soft.
"You are exempt, as you are of Malfoy and Black blood," Adeline explained. "You could choose which house you wish to fight for if you wish, but I won't ask you to go against your father in that way."
"I claim house Black," Draco spoke clearly, hatred in his voice as he thought of Lucius.
More sparks appeared in the house.
"So mote it be," Adeline shrugged, causing the room to glow bright.