Chapter 83
New Path's
Sirius stood in Dumbledore's office, out of the way, as Dumbledore was speaking to Draco Malfoy, who was sitting on a chair in front of Dumbledore's desk.
"I won't pretend to understand how you are feeling, Draco," Dumbledore said kindly, looking at the young man. Sirius knew Lily hated Draco, but right then, he only felt pity for the poor boy. He even felt sorry for Lucius and Narcissa. He had watched them die, thanks to Bellatrix.
"I… I don't understand," Malfoy confessed. "Why… Mother always said… Aunt Bellatrix was…"
"We can never understand what is in the mind of another, I'm sorry to say. I thought I knew someone once, but I was wrong, and they were dark, and wrong in their actions," Dumbledore said. "I only learnt the truth when they did something unforgiveable, much like what has happened here."
"What happens now?" Malfoy asked. Sirius could see the tears in his eyes. He stepped forward, with Dobby next to him.
"I know you never really… liked me, Draco," Sirius began. "Your father and I never got along, and your mother and I fell out of touch years ago, for so many reasons. I refused to believe as they did, and I would never agree with them on anything, but I know that for all our differences, for all the darkness they had, for all the wrongs they had done, they had one thing in their lives that gave them hope, and that was you," Sirius said. "When you were born, Narcissa was so proud. I met you, briefly, after your birth. Narcissa and I never told your father, but she did want me to meet you."
"She… never told me that," Draco said, as Sirius showed Draco a photo of himself as a baby, with Narcissa and Sirius, with both adults smiling.
"When we were very young, before her parents corrupted her way of thinking, we both got on quite well. We were cousins, and her parents, and mine, loved spending time together," Sirius told him. "She messaged me after you were born, and asked me to meet her, and only her, in private, so we went to my parents old house."
"She looks… happy," Draco said softly. Sirius nodded as he knelt down, with Dobby having disappeared and reappeared with a cup of hot chocolate, handing it to Draco, who smiled at Dobby. "Thanks, Dobby."
"Happy to help, Master Draco," Dobby said kindly. Sirius loved that about Dobby; he was kind and caring to anyone.
"When we met up, she had you in her arms. She said that whilst she and I would never agree on anything, she wanted me to meet you. She was so very proud to be your mother," Sirius said. "I know you and Lily haven't ever gotten along, but you are still family, so I've asked Professor Dumbledore and the Ministry to let me take guardianship of you."
Draco looked up in shock, but before he could speak, Sirius continued.
"You won't live with us, I know you and Lily won't accept that yet, but I was thinking of you staying one of my houses. I have several, after all, and Dobby will be there when I'm not, helping you with anything you need," Sirius explained. Draco looked at Dobby, and Sirius could see that what had happened had definitely had an effect on the young boy; how could it not?
"Dobby never liked Master Lucius, but Master Draco was never evil to Dobby," Dobby said. "Dobby will be by Master Draco's side, always."
Draco looked at everyone in the room, at Sirius, Dobby, and then Dumbledore. He was speechless, and Sirius could see that, before he sniffed softly, and took a sip of the drink, nodding as he did.
"I… I don't want to be alone," Draco confessed.
"In saying that, Draco, you have just made sure you won't be. I will not speak ill of your parents, though I always disagreed with how they taught you. But you are at a crossroads in your life. This is not a place I would ever have wanted you to be, but fate, it seems, had other ideas," Dumbledore said.
"How am I supposed to know what to do now?" Draco asked, before taking another sip of the drink.
"No one ever knows that Draco. We can only choose the path ahead with what we know ourselves. No one should influence us to making wrong choices, and this is a lesson that is difficult to learn. I am sorry that the cost of this lesson was so high for you," Dumbledore said softly.
"Some lessons, Draco, will take a high toll on all of us," Sirius said, looking at him. "I have learnt that the hard way, and lost too many good friends because of it, because of others who refused to accept we could all be equal. Bellatrix… I can't even begin to understand what goes through her mind. She sacrificed her own sister, and brother in law, just to escape and live. Your father was ready to let Lily and the others go, after he got what he wanted. In that, he had honour and decency. Bellatrix couldn't accept that, for whatever reason, and one day, she will have to pay for that."
"I'll kill her myself," Draco growled angrily, anger flashing in his eyes.
"To take a life Draco, is a difficult, and dangerous, thing to do. Certainly, one day you'll be strong enough, physically and magically, to do so, but emotionally and mentally… that's something much harder and darker to understand. Taking a life damages your soul on a deep level, Draco, and must always be the last resort," Dumbledore said. "You have every right to be angry, Draco. It is understandable, but please, do not let that anger eat you and destroy you."
"You've got a new path ahead now, Draco. From time to time, you will make mistakes. They're inevitable. Sometimes they'll be small, sometimes they'll be huge. What matters isn't that you make the mistakes, it's that you learn from them," Sirius said.
He looked at Draco's eyes. "There's nothing wrong with falling down, as long as you end up taller when you pick yourself up. You'll end up far from home at times, and like now, you won't know where you belong. Home… home is always there, but not as a place. It's where passion and life takes you," Sirius continued.
"It sounds… hard…" Draco said softly.
"It can be. In life, you'll lose some friends, and maybe you won't want to be around some of your former friends. Sometimes, you gain new ones. It's painful to experience, but it's necessary. People will change, and you will change because that's what life is; change," Sirius said.
Sirius smiled as he looked at Draco, then at Dumbledore. "Life is about the experiences we have, and the ones we choose to have. We can choose any path we want, but the important thing you should know is that no matter what happened, if you stay true to what you believe in, things will work out in some way. The question you need to ask yourself is what do you believe in?" Sirius asked.
"I… I don't know… not anymore," Draco said, looking at Sirius.
"That's because you never truly believed in it. You listened to what your parents believed, but a part of you didn't believe in what they believed in, and this is going to be a question that haunts you. I asked Lily the same question at Christmas, and she struggled to find an answer," Sirius explained.
"But… she did?" Draco asked weakly. Sirius nodded.
"Yes, she did. I spoke to her earlier, and she has no animosity towards you, she wants the best for you, Draco. I know it'll be difficult, but she's asked me to tell you that she'll be there to listen. She blames herself for what happened at the Ministry," Sirius said.
"I saw your memories; she wasn't to blame!" Malfoy insisted. He froze; why did he just say that? He had never liked Potter… but at the same time, he had seen how her friends were willing to die for her. Arthur Weasley had died for her, Cornelius Fudge had died for her, to protect her.
If there was one thing Draco was confident of, it was that the two people he spent the most time with, Crabbe and Goyle… they'd never sacrifice themselves for him. They would never put themselves in danger to protect him. If anything, they'd run away screaming, especially Goyle.
Yet, for all the differences Draco had with Potter… with Lily, her friends would gladly do that. They were there against Umbridge, against his father, against Bellatrix… and even against Voldemort. Was that what friendship and love really was? Is that what he was missing?
His parents would have died for him, he didn't doubt that, but it was clear that others wouldn't. Did anyone even respect him, or did they just fear him? He didn't know, but Sirius Black and Lily Potter, two people he had been critical of, and even bullied… they wanted to help him? After everything he had done, Lily Potter wanted to help him?
A part of him was disgusted with the thought, but the main part of him was… touched. That was what it meant to be truly cared for, wasn't it? And was that what he wanted? Draco wasn't sure what he wanted.
"I want… I want…" Draco exclaimed, the cup of hot chocolate now on the desk as he stood up. Sirius could see the tears rolling down his cheek. "I want my parents," he said softly, before breaking down in tears. Without thinking, Sirius scooped Draco into his arms, holding him and stroking his back.
"I know kid, I miss your mum too," Sirius said softly, sharing a glance with Dumbledore, who nodded with a look of pride in his eyes. They just stood there for what felt like forever, with Draco's tears flowing as he cried for the loss of everything he had known, for his family, and the future that had, just short time ago, seemed so certain.
"What about the house you got in Cornwall, Uncle Sirius? It's quiet and out of the way, and that might be what he needs," Lily suggested, sitting in Sirius's old office. Everything belonging to Umbridge had been removed and destroyed, and it was just a plain, simple office now.
"Great minds think alike, Lily bear," Sirius smiled. "Dobby is there now, making sure everything is ready for Draco. I think what you asked me to say got through to him."
"It was what you told me not long after I began my transition, Uncle Sirius. You said about being kinder to Professor Snape, and I guess that stuck with me," Lily replied.
"And for that, I'm so very proud of you," Sirius told her. "You're not a little girl anymore; you're a young woman, and I can't begin to tell you how proud your parents would be either. James would be screaming through the streets how proud of you he would be right now," Sirius promised. "And probably naked too," he added, with a laugh.
"Eww, Uncle Sirius, too much information!" Lily exclaimed, although she was laughing.
"Sorry Kiddo," Sirius replied, laughing with her. After a few moments, he regained his composure, still smiling. "You know, I always knew you were going to be special, Lily, but I never knew how special. I look at you, and I see so much of Lily within you, and a lot of James as well. You represent the best of both of them, and I'm grateful, because I get to see my friends whenever I look at you."
"I wish I had known them better," Lily told him. Sirius nodded in understanding sighing softly.
"I get that, I really do. I know Lily and James would love to see you the way you are, Lily. You've done so much over the last five years, and even I never had these kinds of trials when I was at Hogwarts. Still, seeing you coming through the darkness, it's damned impressive," Sirius said.
"Well, I do what I can," Lily replied, blushing slightly. "Uncle Sirius, what's going to happen now?"
"Well, Alastor Moody is going to be spending a lot of time with us, training you, and so is Tonks," Sirius began.
"I meant with… well, everything?" Lily clarified. Sirius nodded.
"We're now in a state of open war with Voldemort, so his people are going to attack. For that reason, you won't ever be alone. Someone will be nearby at all times, making sure that you're safe. Tonks will be training you to use your abilities better, so if you go out, look like someone else," Sirius said.
"As for the world, it's going to be a darker place, for everyone. Last time within the war, he used Giants, Dragons, Werewolves… it's not going to be pretty. Thankfully, with the authority of the Ministry supporting us, we'll be able to put up all kinds of defensive spells. But there is one thing you need to know; Rufus Scrimgeour has asked to speak with you today, if you're willing," Sirius said.
"Me? What does he want to talk to me for?" Lily asked.
"Honestly, I don't know," Sirius replied. "Dumbledore didn't want you to meet him, but at the same time, we both know that it's your choice."
"I won't meet him alone," Lily said firmly.
"No, you won't. It's why you're here, in this office. I wanted to see if you were okay to meet him first," Sirius said. Lily nodded.
"Okay, I'll meet with him, I guess," Lily replied. Sirius stood up and left the room. Lily felt a little anxious; why would the Minister for Magic want to meet her? It was clear that Scrimgeour wasn't a Death Eater, but for now, she didn't want to worry too much. She wanted to have a little peace and quiet, yet somehow, she knew that wouldn't happen, not until she defeated Voldemort.
As Sirius entered with Scrimgeour, she noted that the man looked tired. Given what he would have had to have dealt with since the battle at the ministry, she wasn't surprised. He flashed her a kind smile and held out a hand. Lily accepted it, shaking it warmly.
"Lily Potter, it is a genuine pleasure to meet you," Scrimgeour said, as he took a seat, with Sirius sitting on a chair next to Lily. "To be honest, this is likely going to be the most pleasant meeting I've had in days."
"I hope so, Minister," Lily replied.
"I'm sure you're wondering why I wanted to meet you," Scrimgeour asked. Lily confirmed that with a nod. "I would be too, if I were you. You've had a difficult time this year, and first things first, on behalf of the Ministry of Magic, I want to formally apologise to you, first for the accusations of you using magic outside of school without cause, for the way you were treated by Dolores Umbridge, for the way the Ministry treated you when working with the Daily Prophet… all of it," Scrimgeour said, and Lily could see the guilt within his eyes. "I was working within the Magical Law Enforcement office, and I always knew something was wrong, but I did nothing. For that, I personally apologise."
"Minister, you had no reason to disbelieve Elpenor White, and if I've learnt anything about Voldemort and his people, they can be convincing," Lily said.
"Lily, you're being far too generous. When good people do nothing, evil will succeed. I will not allow such a mistake to happen again, and I've already ensured that the real guilty within the Ministry will spend the rest of their lives in Azkaban," Scrimgeour said.
"They deserve it," Lily said, with a simple nod.
"Indeed," Scrimgeour agreed. "Right now, one of my concerns is protecting you. What you did at the Ministry was nothing short of heroic. You took on Death Eaters, and even You-Know-Who, to stop him from achieving a goal. Dumbledore won't tell me everything, and I won't ask you to tell me because to do so would be to show you a great disrespect."
"I appreciate that, Minister," Lily replied.
"I have, however, made some changes in the law during this time of war, Lily," Scrimgeour said. "Some regard you. The first is that I will be removing the Trace on you today. This has only been done in extreme circumstances but given the fact that you are being targeted by You-Know-Who, I believe it is warranted."
"That means I won't be able to be tracked if I do magic outside of school this summer?" Lily asked.
"Exactly. The same will go for your friends with you. I hope that I've removed all the filth from the Ministry, but I don't intend to take a chance," Scrimgeour said, with a small smile.
"I appreciate that Minister," Sirius spoke up. "It'll make me feel a little better."
"I've also begun authorising the use of the Unforgivable curses against Death Eaters, should the need arise. I understand Alastor Moody will be teaching you during summer. I spoke to him already, and there are some spells and curses that aren't taught here at Hogwarts, so I instructed Alastor to teach them to you," Scrimgeour continued.
"If I may, Minister?" Sirius asked.
"Mr Black?" Scrimgeour nodded.
"Why are you doing all this for Lily? I'm thankful, but I never expected it," Sirius said. Scrimgeour leant back and let out a sigh.
"The Ministry was infiltrated by Death Eaters, innocent children suffered, and people died because I, or others, didn't stop Elpenor White, and let him and others lead us astray. The Ministry of Magic is meant to protect the Wizarding World from such a thing, and we failed. I will not allow another failure to occur!" Scrimgeour spoke with such passion that Lily actually felt more secure in that moment.
"Yes, I imagine it wasn't a good day for you when all this came out," Sirius agreed.
"That's putting it lightly," Scrimgeour said. "I may not know what You-Know-Who wanted, but from everything I know now, the fate of the world lies in the hands of this damned brave young girl, who was bullied, berated, and abused for daring to tell the truth. If I am going to do anything, it's going to protect Lily Potter with all my strength."
Lily felt a wave of warmth towards the man. He spoke with genuine passion and strength, and in that moment, Lily knew she could trust him.
"Minister, what happened…" Lily began, but Scrimgeour held up a hand.
"Lily, I don't need to know. All I know is that you are important, to all of us, so whatever I can do to help, I will," Scrimgeour promised. Lily nodded, a tear rolling down her cheek. "On the plus side, I have been told about your… medication, not only for your transition, but for your… depression, I believe?"
"Who told you?" Sirius asked.
"Dumbledore did, but before you go mad at him, I knew something was happening since some people from my department were monitoring post within Hogwarts. I intercepted one batch of medication, but I did send it on to you. I learnt recently that Umbridge blocked it from reaching you." Scrimgeour said. "I've got the top Medi witches at St. Mungo's working with Madam Pomfrey, and your muggle doctor, Lana, to find you the best potion to help you, and hopefully others. This war is going to cause a lot of problems, and if we can help, it's our duty to do so."
"I already like you a lot better than White," Lily chuckled. Scrimgeour allowed a grizzled smile to cross his face.
"Lily, you've got a hell of a destiny and future ahead of you. When this war is over, I'd love to see you in the Auror Office at the Ministry. It needs people like you. The world needs more people like you," Scrimgeour said.
Lily was thankful to the minister, who then went over security arrangements with Sirius, including protecting the floo network and other methods of contact and transportation, as well as summoning Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Lavender, Padma, and Parvati, all of whom agreed they'd be staying with Lily throughout summer, and as such, all of them had the trace removed from them.
It felt weird, having a Minister who was actively helping Lily to stay safe, but after the year she'd had, she finally felt like a ray of light had just burst through the darkness, and with her friends by her side, she felt confident enough that she would make it through the war.
