The last few hours had simply flown by for the inhabitants of number twelve, Grimmauld Place on that unusually grey August morning.  

Harry was sure he’d correctly read his watch as 06:23 when he’d nipped down to the kitchen for a bit of toast; however he was horrified to glance down again, at what he was sure was only minutes later, to see 08:57.

Though most of them were sleep deprived, snatching minutes of sleep perched on the arm of the couch, head down on a table or in Ron’s case, propped up by Hermione’s rather large collection of ancient foreign spell books retrieved rather rapidly from who-knows-where, everyone was alert and awake the moment anyone said a word.

Things had fallen quickly into motion the moment Hermione had read aloud Neville’s letter.  Harry glanced down at the now dormant treasure lying crumpled on the sofa beside him; the parchment dog-eared, the ink smudged.  He sighed as he picked it up again, bleakly hopeful to gain some hidden understanding on his hundredth read.

Dear Hermione,

I don’t really know what to tell you, other than I don’t know what you’re on about.  I haven’t sent you anything. I’ve been in Scotland most of my holidays with Gran.  Only got in late last night.

Where exactly did you get that photograph of my mother?  And what’s a Memory Box?

Write back and let me know what’s going on – I need to know where you got the picture of my mum.

 

Neville.

 

No one had said a word for a full minute before Sirius had let out a pained yet elated howl, reminding everyone of what a dog might sound like should someone step on its paw, but they were happy about it.  He’d half cried, half screamed with fury for the next few minutes before Lupin had demanded he shut up so he could think, or he’d hex him to next

Wednesday.

“It just makes no logical sense,” he had said, pacing feverishly around the drawing room, “No sense.  This Memory Box, though a girlish retro novelty, has distinct and altered magical abilities.  They employed guards and advanced charm work on it; it would have had to go to one of their direct descendants.  It would never have allowed itself to fall into the hands of anyone else.  It just makes no logical sense.”

“Maybe it was passed on to a friend?” suggested Tonks, to the outraged glares thrown wildly at her by Sirius.  “I’m sorry, but that is a realistic possibility.  I would love nothing more than for even just one of those girls to walk into this room, but we all saw what happened to them.”

“Could it have been Alice?” suggested Ginny hopefully, “She’s still alive, isn’t she?”

It was at that moment, both Lupin and Sirius exploded into action.

“I’ll have Mad-Eye and Kingsley go at once-” blurted Lupin, “We must know they’re safe-”

“Records of all who have visited!” shrieked Sirius wildly, diving out of his armchair and to the doorway and shouting for Mr Weasley.  “It would be the first place any of them would go-”

“Dumbledore must be alerted at once,” muttered Lupin, violently hurling a conjured patronus out the drawing room window, “He may be able to assist.”

Harry had watched blankly as Mr Weasley had hurried into the room, eyes wide and alert before listening intently to a rather condensed version of the night’s happenings before nodding, scratching his head and agreeing, “Yes.  I thoroughly agree.  Alice and Frank Longbottom must have a guard; we cannot be sure the previous possessor of that Memory Box was friend or foe.  It’d be a sure fire way to get to Harry, isolate his location and gain his trust.  I’ll send an owl to Kingsley who’ll organise two of our best.  We must also bring Neville here; he too may not be safe.”

As Sirius nodded him off, he turned to the others and began rather rapidly, “I’m going to search the neighbouring streets as Snuffles; they’ll recognise me-”

“And so will bloody well everyone else!” snapped Lupin, “You stay put Sirius.  We both must; on the off chance that one of the girls is trying to reach us this will be the first place they go.”

Sirius simply stood and stared at Lupin.  “Mooney…you believe it could be them?”

Lupin shrugged vaguely.

“This is surreal,” whispered Sirius, traces of joy and laughter tickling his hushed tones, “There is a real possibility that one of our girls has come back to us.  She could be out there now, trying to get home.”

Lupin muffled a choked breath before nodding, “We mustn’t get our hopes up before we know more.  We may be seeing things we only wish were there.”

“A direct descendant!” interrupted Harry, standing up and grinning widely, “You said so yourself, Remus.  If that be the case, there are only two people who could have sent it to me and we know it’s not Neville.”

Sirius’ face fell hard for a moment before saying softly, “Cass would believe me to be a murderer.  In fact, they all would.”

“But those he would remember and seek out,” said Lupin, his words impeding, “Would know if your innocence.  Speaking of-”

He turned to Tonks, who was in the process of shoving as much food in her mouth, all the while following the conversation like a tennis match, “Tonks?  We need your mum down here.”

She nodded at once, before gathering herself up, “On it.  I’ll grab Mad-Eye on my way; he’ll kick himself if he misses this.”

And in a flash she was out the door and apparating into thin air.

Since then, no one had said more than a few words strung together, fatigue rapidly swallowing the adrenaline that had previously pulsed through their veins.  Harry stared down at the letter in his hands before limply throwing it back on the sofa, a frustrated sigh escaping his lips.

“Harry?”  

Lupin was looking at him from his position at the sloppily reconstructed writing desk that was piled high with papers and books, “What’s happened?”

“Nothing,” replied Harry, shrugging off the alert looks of the others in the room.  Ron frowned from his seat on the sofa between Ginny and Hermione, all of them reading dozily from old, weathered pages, “Just tired is all.  How are you lot going?”

Hermione leant back in her seat and rubbed her eyes, her book falling slightly from her lap, the aged title Magical Time Capsules; Worthy Feat or Risky Business?  briefly reflecting the dull morning light, “There’s a lot of information to sift through here.  There’s a small section on Memory Boxes but it’s all useless isn’t it, when you consider the one we’ve got here is so wholly altered from the norm.  I’ve found some interesting case studies on witches and wizards who have successfully created some really impressive devices from fad novelties but unfortunately, there are also a lot of unsuccessfulones.”

“Heard from Sirius?” asked Ron conversationally, disrupting everyone around him as he leant forward to choose a biscuit, Ginny spilling her tea and Hermione losing her page in the wake of his gangly limbs, “Not heard a peep from him.  He’s still here, isn’t he?”

“He won’t leave,” assured Lupin, setting his book down completely and standing up to stretch his back, “Not when there’s a chance an owner of that box could come flouncing through that door.  It’s probably the first time in his life that he’s not been chomping at the bit to leave.”  He looked sad for a moment before smiling softly at everyone, “Time for lunch I think, we could all use a break.”

They all murmured in agreement and lazily made their way to the kitchen, immediately perking up as the sound of muffled shouts and raised voices wafted from behind closed doors.

“Oi-” Lupin quickly spotted the extendable ears dangling in front of the door and yanked hard, rolling his eyes as the unmistakable groans and protests from the twins a few flights up, “Molly will have your heads if she sees these.”

“She’s already seen them,” muttered Fred, stomping down the stairs, “She was too distracted to put an impervious on the door this morning though.”

“Mad-Eye’s in there,” motioned George as they all stood idly around the door, “Him and Sirius going for guns.  It was just getting good, too.”

Lupin rolled his eyes again before opening the door to see a full kitchen, various Order members sat around the table looking alert, picking at plates of sandwiches, conversations dying off as the others walked in.

Mad-Eye was clomping around the head of the table, snapping loudly at Sirius who was at the other end looking rather red in the face, being gently restrained by a weepy looking Andromeda who had a hand on his shoulder.

“To have even opened it was careless,” Mad-Eye was growling, his wooden leg giving an aggressive soundtrack to his ranting, “What were you lot even thinking?  Bloody careless.”

“You think I would put Harry in danger?” spluttered Sirius, “You think Remus and I would for even a second have allowed it to have entered the house if we had suspected it was a dark object?”

“You would have let You Know Who himself in the front door and invited him for tea if you thought it would get her back,” snapped Mad-Eye, “You never did think when it came to that girl.  Caution to the wind and stupidity for breakfast the pair of you.”

Sirius almost exploded out of his chair, howling with outrage before Lupin walked over and tried to calm him, saying quietly to Mad-Eye, “That is unfair.”

“Sorry,” muttered Mad-Eye, nodding to Molly who was motioning at Harry and the others who will still stood blankly at the door, “I didn’t mean that.”

“It was more than a decade ago,” growled Sirius, allowing Andromeda to push him back into his chair, “And anything we did was never to harm anyone.”

“Harry,” cut in Andromeda, smiling over the heads of everyone, “It’s been such a very long time.”

There was a pause amongst those who’d been witness to the memories, Hermione and Ginny beaming at Andromeda then Harry, with bright eyes. 

Ron grinned as the twins nodded to one another.  Everyone seemed acutely aware of the significance of Andromeda’s presence, and her position next to Sirius, fighting tirelessly in his corner.

“Hi,” said Harry awkwardly, suddenly feeling quite unsure of how to behave.  It was a rather strange feeling to know so much about someone and never really have met them.  “I, um, it’s nice to meet you.”

Andromeda chuckled, “You look so much like James, it’s too surreal.  I can see Lily in you too.  Sit down all of you and have some lunch.”

They all bustled about, finding seats and picking up sandwiches, only Andromeda continuing to chat as they refuelled.

“We’re doing some legwork all around the country,” she was saying, helping Mrs Weasley set down more plates of food, “Emmeline and Sturgis are at St Mungo’s guarding Alice and Frank-”

“Was it-” began Harry, swallowing his sandwich hard, “I mean, was it Alice-”

“No,” replied Andromeda, smiling sadly.  “Emmeline is doing her best to try to uncover anything.  She’s done well-”

“She was respondent?” cut in Lupin, glancing over a hastily written note, “It says here she was vaguely alert?”

“She showed some signs of recognition,” nodded Andromeda before turning to the others and explaining, “Emmeline is a Healer, trained and mentored young Suzie McKinnon as it happens…” she trailed off, shaking her head, “It’s been a long time since I said that name.  Anyway, she specialised in various forms of Muggle medicine which is also considered foreign and she’s been using flash cards.  Photographs of the girls, Neville and so on.”

“The charm was buzzing,” offered Sirius, “The crystal that’s been imbedded in her neck these past years.  But Dumbledore thinks it could be because Harry made contact with Rahjah earlier-”

“What’s Dumbledore doing about this?” asked Harry at once, “Has he gone to Aurelius?”

“Yes,” said Sirius, picking up a sandwich, “Well, trying to at any rate. 

Fawkes has been more successful as it happens so Aurelius knows we’re about and wanting a word.  Not that it means much…”

Everyone nodded, averting their eyes from Sirius who had begun rather violently poking his sandwich before the door opened and more Order members piled in.  Harry recognised a few from the memories, though none by name.

“What a to-do,” sighed one witch, her husky voice immediately identifying her from the memory when Isabella’s grandfather had burst in on an Order meeting, demanding to know where she’d run off to, “Rather exciting though.”

“Any news?” asked Sirius immediately, his eyes scanning the new faces urgently, “What have you found, Lorna?”

“There’s a trail,” responded Lorna, the husky witch, sitting heavily down in a chair and nodding yes to a cup of tea. “There’s a definite trail though we have no idea where it begins or ends.  Kingsley’s on his way with Frank and Alice’s boy, a guard around him ten thick.  We think they were at his house-”

“Who?” demanded Lupin, “Who was there?  What were the signs?”

“Some subtle disruptions,” said an unknown wizard, helping himself to some pumpkin juice, “Though nothing to suggest whether they were.  We are fairly sure we’re dealing with friend rather than foe-”

“We must not be complacent,” snapped Mad-Eye, “We cannot let our guard down until we have the facts.”

Lorna cast Mad-Eye with a sideways look before she said with a shrug, “Well, there were signs of protective shielding but from what I’ve heard, it could be the result of that old charm.  That’s the trouble with this whole thing; whoever we’re dealing with does not want to be found and doing an excellent job of covering their tracks.  We know they’ve been around Neville and put in place heightened protection.  Alice and Frank were probably also visited but we don’t know what eventuated.  No one can get to Harry-”

“They’re putting their wands in place,” cut in the unknown wizard, looking thoughtful, “We suspect this was the first step; protect and secure.  Though what’s in the pipeline is anyone’s guess.”

“What were the signs?” asked Sirius, looking around the room, “Give us some idea and Mooney or I may be able to tell you if they’re familiar.”

Lupin looked sceptical, “Familiar, Padfoot?”

“Well,” said Sirius, folding his arms and leaning back in his chair, “The girls had certain methods.  Identifiable characteristics in their magic.  Marls was always scatty; hodge-podge with her spells as she usually lost interest in one thing and began immediately on the other.  Bella was more strategic; littering her Hogwarts magic with Eastern twangs.  Plus they took a lot from one another; Lily had a few good homemade spells they often used whereas Alice was by the book but wielded a fair but of grit behind them.”

“We cannot be sure it’s those girls we’re tracking,” said Lorna softly, looking pleadingly at Sirius.  “Don’t get me wrong now, I adored them.  I spent a lot of time with Marlene during various patrols and I grew incredibly fond of her; I was devastated when I heard of her death.  As for Isabella, I was always a big advocate of you both and what you went through to keep your little boy safe.  But we must be realistic; the chances of them reappearing is stuff of dreams.”

“Then who is it?” asked Sirius quietly, staring hard at his hands that were now flat on the table, “Who?”

“We map it out,” announced Mad-Eye loudly, as though he’d been simply waiting to begin a lesson.  “We might as well do it here; the kids are pretty switched on and since they’ve seen most of the memories they may pick up on what we don’t.”

Harry had to smile as a blackboard appeared out of thin air, Mad-Eye’s wand slashing about throwing hastily scribbled names all over the board.  “And I want contributions that make sense; there’s no time for wish-wash.”

The twins exchanged look as though all their Christmases had come at once, whilst everyone shuffled about, easing into comfortable positions and looking expectantly up at the board.

“Right,” Mad-Eye began tapping his wooden leg at the floor as he pointed to the words Memory Box.  “We have a highly magical device that has been sent to Harry under false pretences.  Whilst Istrongly discourage

everyone to become lax, we can probably assume the object is benign.  What the issue is here is how the bloody hell it got into this house and into Harry’s possession.”

“Hedwig brought it,” said Hermione at once, “Owl post.”

“Did anyone physically see her deliver it?”

Everyone looked blank.

“I assumed she’d come in with Errol,” began Mrs Weasley, before her face creased in horror, “Good gracious!  What could I have done?!”

“Harry,” asked Mr Weasley sharply, “Was Hedwig out last night?”

Harry shrugged, “I think so, but she was hunting.”

“Molly, where was the parcel the first time you saw it?”

“On the kitchen bench,” she said, beginning to get quite upset, “I thought one of the children brought it in.”

Everyone looked at each other, shrugging and shaking their heads.

“Right,” continued Mad-Eye, beginning to clomp in circles, “So.  We have no choice but to believe this parcel appeared in the house without the assistance of owl or person.  What we need to do now is isolate possible individuals who would have the means and the inclination to plant it here.”

He pointed his wand at the board as he leaned heavily against a chair, “I would consider there to be three main candidates in this equation.  I’m going to start with the one who ticks all the boxes-”

A little tingle shivered down Harry’s spine as two scrawled words appeared on the board.

CASSION BLACK

Andromeda drew in a sharp breath, clasping her hands over Sirius’s and looking at Lupin, her expression blazing.

Mad-Eye cleared his throat and rubbed his nose before continuing, “No

one knows what truly happened to this boy.  From all accounts, he died fourteen years ago, aged almost three years, due to the alleged death of his Eastern mother.  The bonds were too strong, said his grandfather at the time, for him to survive when she was on death’s doorstep.”

“Cass had Western blood also,” whispered Andromeda, “And he was always such a strong little thing…”

“He was shielded,” added Sirius, his throat contracting his syllables, “Though in those last memories, he was failing fast.  My being in Azkaban was probably what did it…”

Mad-Eye grunted, “But we don’t know for sure.  I don’t encourage anyone to get their hopes up but he’s a strong candidate for being behind this.  Firstly, he would have been able to rightfully have possession of The Memory Box and its absence from anyone else during these past years would explain it, as no one’s heard hide nor hair from either.  Secondly, I have no doubt he’d be highly gifted magically, due to his Eastern and Western blood, easily allowing him to cast the spells around Potter and Longbottom.  Thirdly, he would have been able to gain access to this house without exposure and easily planted the box in it for Harry.”  

“We would have seen him, surely?” asked Lupin incredulously, “Or had some idea he was here?”

Mr Weasley shook his head, “He would have been able to come and go quite freely whilst we were here without either party having a clue the other was inhabiting.  We’re all hidden due to the Fedelius charm and Cassion, being a direct descendant of Sirius would have been able to invoke entry and walk right on in without disturbing anyone.”

“Not anyone,” growled Sirius before once again, appearing to explode out of his chair:

“KREACHER!”

There was a ringing silence before Sirius screamed again, this time Andromeda smacking him lightly on the arm, “For heavens sake!  If he’s still knocking about this old house, he’s as old as the hills.  Be patient, Sirius!”  "He moves when he needs to,” growled Sirius before they all paused to hear the tell-tale scuffling of an eavesdropper caught out, followed by

snide mutterings and the dragging of small feet behind the kitchen boiler.

“GET IN HERE NOW KREACHER!”

“As master wishes…”

Kreacher slowly made his way over, purposely taking his time before stopping a foot away from the table and enquiring, “Yes, master?”

“Was Cassion here?”

“Kreacher does not know who you speak of.”

“You effing well do and I order you to tell me.  Now.”

“Kreacher does not know who it is you speak of.”

“Kreacher,” began Andromeda, her voice echoing Sirius’ condescension, “You will tell us.”  He blatantly ignored her question, preferring to croak, “Yet another stain on the filth of this great family has come.  Oh, what would my mistress say to know that her mudblood loving niece was-”

“OI!-”  Lupin grabbed back Sirius who had lunged for the elf’s neck and struggled to restrain him, “You will not get anything out of him if you continue to lose your temper!”

Sirius was breathing hard through his nose, his teeth grinding with agitation before Mad-Eye clomped over and stared down at the elf, hard.

“He’s still bound by elf law to obey you; you just need to ask the correct question.  And be specific.”

Sirius threw a sinister look at the elf who glared angrily back before he said quietly, “Kreacher.  Has my son been in this house?”

Kreacher’s eyelids slitted, “As master knows, young Master Black was here once when my mistress-”

“Recently Kreacher.”

There was a silence before the elf flinched and whispered, “Kreacher

cannot say.”

Sirius grabbed at Lupin’s cloak sleeve, as though his heart had stopped.  “You cannot say because he hasn’t been here or he ordered you not to say?”

“Kreacher cannot say.”

“Kreacher-”

He was cut off as the elf appeared to grab himself around the throat and begin to throttle, muffled wails wheezing through his snout.

“Stop him!” cried Hermione, looking horrified, “Please just STOP HIM!”

Sirius grabbed the elf back, yanking him by his ears and saying, his voice deadly, “Whoever has ordered you not to-Kreacher?  Kreacher!”

“Back off a second,” began Lupin, batting Sirius away and inspecting the elf who was throwing hideous glares at everyone, as he clutched himself around the throat.  “It’s not his fault; he’s been hexed-”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” snapped Sirius, aiming to kick Kreacher in annoyance, “He’s putting it on.”

“Doubt it,” grunted Mad-Eye peering down over the fray, “He’s been cursed; looks to me like some sort of tongue-tie.  This creature couldn’t speak if it wanted to.”

Sirius ground his teeth as his eyes threw daggers at the elf, “You will speak when you can, Kreacher.  And don’t move till that happens.”

The elf appeared to freeze in time, barely a wiggle tempting his ear before Lupin rolled his eyes and muttered, “For heaven’s sake put him at ease, Padfoot.”

Sirius took his time getting comfortable before obliging, Hermione grinding her teeth in frustration at the display before Mad-Eye began clomping once more, startling everyone back to the topic at hand.

“Right; we can add that whoever is behind this has put something on this house elf to stop him letting on what they’re doing.  Difficult to hinder elf laws but it can be done and unfortunately, by anyone who has a bit of

nowse.  The major hurdle to get by is the elf’s devout devotion to their master – clearly not too much of a hindrance in this case.”

Lorna glanced at Tonks, biting back a grin before asking, “If it is Cass Black who’s behind this, surely he must have a motive?  If we crunch through that, we may have a better shot at finding where he’s hiding out.”

“Revenge,” said Harry at once, without thinking.  Everyone swivelled to look at him curiously, Sirius raising an eyebrow.  Though his cheeks burned slightly, he furrowed his brow and persevered.

“Well, wherever he’s been for the last few years, he would have probably been wondering what happened to his parents.  I mean, he would have had some idea but that was probably tarnished by what he was told.  I did.”

“Go on,” said Lupin gently, casting a sideways look at Sirius.

Harry shrugged, “Well, I thought for the first eleven years of my life my mum and dad died in a car crash.  My aunt and uncle never spoke about them so I was left to piece together and, often, make-up in my own mind what happened.  Cassion may have thought Sirius was a murderer; if he was with his grandfather, that’s probably the case.  But he’d still have some memories.”

“Cass worshipped you,” said Andromeda gently to Sirius who never broke gaze at Harry, “No matter what he was taught, nothing could change that.”

“But he was quite protective of his mother,” sighed Lorna, “That I remember most vividly following Marlene’s death and the awful attack of Frank and Alice.”

“He’d have questions,” conceded Lupin, nodding at Harry to continue, “And probably picked sides with regards to his parents.  But I’m interested in your theory Harry.  Go on.”

“Well suppose he had a certain idea of what happened, then one day he comes across the Memory Box.  He would have learnt the truth, wouldn’t he?  That Sirius wasn’t a murderer.  That it was really Pettigrew who was behind it all.  He’d know about me, Neville, our Godmothers and everything that had happened.”

“The walls to The East are closed,” grunted Mad-Eye, “But I’d wager he could have found a way to piece together what he didn’t know.”

“And he’s come back to seek revenge!” added Ron, as though he was the one who singlehandedly had come to this conclusion.  “It makes sense!  He would only have to be in the country for a few hours before he learnt Harry was still alive; he’d want to seek revenge for his dad, his mum and everyone else!”

“But not without help,” said an unknown witch, who had been biding her time next to Lorna.  “He’d have a hard time entering the country unnoticed for a start.  Border security is more stringent than ever; imagine Sirius Black’s son strutting through the barriers without even a comment?!  Not to mention he would have been picked up by the Ministry for doing underage magic!”

“True,” sighed Mad-Eye, returning to the board and drawing a line through Cassion’s name.  “Though able to plant the box without disruption, he would be unable to travel or produce magic without exposure.  Which brings us to the next candidate.  Marlene McKinnon.”

“Impossible,” whispered Lupin, “She died.  I saw it with my own eyes.”

“All the possibilities,” snapped Mad-Eye before marching in circles at the head of the table, “McKinnon was last seen on the Eastern borders fourteen years ago aged twenty one years.  She is one of the owners of the Memory Box, thus easily being able to hold possession.  As Godmother to both Potter and Longbottom, it’d be logical she’d do what she could to protect them as well as educating them on who she was and her relationship to them.”

“Impossible,” repeated Lupin, more stubbornly than before.

“She fell through the border,” shrugged Tonks, “Her body was never found.  You can’t deny that.”

“Marlene would never have stayed away,” said Lupin firmly.  “She would have dragged herself through hell and high water to get back for Harry and Neville.”

“McKinnon was a lot of things,” added Sirius, sighing loudly, “But to consider that she stayed away whilst her Godsons were fending for themselves is preposterous.”

“But if she was in The East?” asked Hermione, looking at each person in the room, “Remember; she allegedly died before everything really started to happen.  She wouldn’t know-”  

“She’d have come back,” said Sirius firmly, “To ease her own nosiness at the very least.  She’d want to know what happened.”

“What if she too, opened the Memory Box though?” suggested Andromeda turning to look at him thoughtfully, “She’d know what had happened.  And if there was one thing Marlene was, it was loyal.  She’d be back in a heartbeat and like Cass, revenge would be a logical motive.  Protect her boys first, then seek out her enemies.”

“She’d have made contact,” said Sirius sighing, “And a scene.  Even if she didn’t, I’d be very surprised if she hadn’t at least sought out Moony.”

“Remus,” said Mad-Eye, considering him closely, “Anything unusual happen to you lately?  Felt like you’re being watched?”

Lupin shook his head softly, “I’ve been here practically since the end of the Triwizard.  I came back with Sirius; I’ve barely been out except for full moon.”

“It could be her though,” said Ginny wistfully, “She’d have a plan and maybe she’d want to carry it out before she let on to anyone she was here.”

“She was declared dead,” said Lorna with a shrug, “If she too has been in the East these past years she couldn’t gain re-entry without some sort of enquiry.  Or been able to get about for very long without some sort of identification; I mean, you can’t even buy a wand without it these days-”

“Which brings us to candidate number three,” interrupted Mad-Eye, “Someone who would have been able to quite easily enter the country without being seen, been able to survive quite easily without a wand, have possession of the Memory Box as well as the knowledge and know-how to pull something like this off.”

Sirius’ jaw ground together as Mad-Eye finished, “Isabella Masahara Black.”

“Again,” persisted Lupin, “She would never have stayed hidden.”

“She would have been able to enter the country discreetly due to political amnesty,” Mr Weasley offered. “Under all sorts of secrecy and protection.  She’d know her way around, easily mask her magic and spell work as well as track down both Godsons and protect them.”

“She would have come for me by now,” said Sirius quietly, “Whether she knew the truth of my innocence or not.  I abandoned her and Cass; I’d have to answer for that.  And it would in no way be a quiet affair.”

“She’d have been able to gain entry to the house…” began Hermione, her eyebrows knitting together.  Harry could have sworn he could hear her brain rapidly processing information before she jumped up suddenly and gurgled, “I read – before, I – never thought of it till now – I’ll just go-”

 And she was out of her chair and out the door in a matter of seconds, tearing through the corridors like the speed of light.  Harry shared a look of long suffering and understanding with Ron, before shrugging to the rest of the room that simply looked at them both with a mixture of curiosity and confusion.

A smattering of quiet conversation rumbled amongst the kitchen before Hermione came barrelling back, flicking urgently through the pages of her book.

“Hermione?” asked Lupin politely, “Would you be so kind as to share?”

“I read something before,” she said breathlessly, scanning page by page, “I didn’t connect it till now-here;

One of the many flaws of The Whisper Watch, popular with schoolgirls in the 1950’s, was it’s unstable foundation. Used to keep secrets or messages that could be played back to the recipient, too much misuse caused the channelling to become blurred or invaded.  One case, documented by Healer Barnaby Jones, discovered that the mere presence of the individual witch or wizard who placed the message in the watch, disrupted the communication.  He notes that one of his patients, a Miss Lyra Dippets, actually became somewhat mentally ‘splinched’ when unbenknownest to herself, her secrets were being listened to by a friend in an ajoining room.

No one said anything, preferring to wait patiently for a bright eyed and excited Hermione to explain the apparent relationship between Lyra

Dippets and the matter at hand.

“Don’t you see?” she said after a moment, her face reflecting a long sufferance of slower brains than hers, “Remember when we heard Marlene’s voice?  They’ve got the Memory Box?  And Isabella’s imprint saying that something was happening but she didn’t know what?  I think that could have been this disruption Barnaby Jones had documented.  They could have been here the whole time, affecting the broadcast of the memories.”

“I like your theory,” said Lupin slowly, “But surely she could have invoked a stronger or more informative message?”  "If she was weak in some way?” suggested Tonks, but Lupin shook his head, “Izzy was incredibly powerful, even at her weakest.  Most especially when it came to protecting one of her own – remember Mulciber?”

“What if we’re looking at this the wrong way?” asked Mr Weasley thoughtfully, turning to Mad-Eye and pointing at the board.  “We’re assuming we’re looking for an individual; what if it is all three?  Each has a motive, each has the means to assist the other as well as hold them in check.”

Mad-Eye stood for a moment, reflecting on this before marching up to the board and rapping his wand smartly against it, causing the written words to flitter about and make a new circular formation.  “Three instead of one.  Like the last theory, it has its possibilities as well as its flaws.  But staying concealed from those closest to them…”

He beat his wooden leg methodically at the floor as he thought out loud, “Unlike them.”

“It’s not possible,” said Lupin quite loudly, the lines of face going hard, “I would love nothing better than to see Marls, Izzy or Cass walk through that door but they would have made contact by now!”

“What’s our intelligence say about what’s going on within enemy lines?” asked Lorna, chewing on a hangnail, “Because I’d wager they’re after much the same as many of us in this room.”

 A few raised an eyebrow before she coughed and reached for her goblet, “Pettigrew.”

“What’s he got to do with anything?” scoffed Sirius nastily, “Either of those girls could have him strung up by his ankles in a five seconds.  And if my son grew up to be half the man he was on track to be, he’d have him up in two.”

“No, I see her point,” interjected Tonks, as Lorna glared at Sirius, “It doesn’t take a genius to work out it was probably Pettigrew that blew the whistle the night they moved Neville – just watching the memories told us that much.  Plus we all know he is responsible for what happened in Godric’s Hollow.  I think it makes perfect sense as to motive; Pettigrew is to blame for what happened to Alice, Frank, James and Lily.  And he was responsible for what happened to Marlene, to Isabella and by association Cassion.”

“Good, clean and logical,” grunted Mad-Eye as Tonks beamed, “If we’re thinking they’re going after Pettigrew then we’re further along in this.  All three of them have scores to settle and to catch the rat, they’ll have to be strategic.  He may be stupid but he’s got big friends.  Friends that may not care for him but know his worth.  Through knowledge and sheer weakness, he’s made himself invaluable to them.  Until he’s caught, they’re limited in movement.”

“They’d protect their most precious assets first,” nodded Mrs Weasley, motioning to Harry, “Ensure there was no way for You Know Who to get at them if their cover is blown.  As a mother, it’s what I’d do.  No one can get at Harry here and Neville is probably also untouchable.  I’d also expect young Cassion wouldn’t be let out of Isabella’s sight as well.”

“Isabella still has a warrant out for her arrest,” piped up the unknown wizard, “Crouch may be gone but Fudge wouldn’t miss an opportunity to bring in Sirius Black’s wife.  It’d do wonders for his reputation.  Plus Cassion couldn’t go to school or even be seen; I remember the little tyke and I’ll wager he’s the spitting image still of his dad.”

“And Marlene would have to bite her tongue,” said Andromeda slowly, gradually buying into the theory, “Even she’d have to know her own weaknesses.  Given half the chance she’d make a godawful scene and blow the whole plan out of the water.”

“But there’s no proof,” said Lupin bitterly, “It’s all well and good to suppose all of this but it could be anyone-”

He was interrupted as unknown movement grew louder from the front of

the house; as the noise became more pronounced, Mad-Eye grunted, “That’ll be Kingsley with the Longbottom boy.”

Harry craned his neck to see over Ron’s head as about five witches and wizards crowded into the room, Kingsley at the centre with a strong hand on a rather frightened looking Neville’s shoulder.  He watched him give a watery smile to the room before visibly gulping as Professor McGonagall stalked in, looking rather peeved.

“Well we’re here,” she snapped, taking of her cloak and dusting it violently, “And goodness knows that’s saying something.”

“We had a bit of a time with Mrs Longbottom,” provided Kingsley, his deep voice lilting with laughter, “I can’t imagine it was easy being come upon by an armed guard however she didn’t let us off lightly.”

McGonagall snorted angrily, “I would have thought considering the circumstances, we’d have been provided with the utmost assistance!”

“She’s a tough ole’ lady,” coughed a wheezy wizard, dusting off his hat, “A righ’ kook.  Bu’ we go’ young Neville out, didn’t we lad?”

“Alright?” asked Ron as Neville was ushered into the seat by Hermione, his face going white as a particularly mean looking Sirius sat opposite.  

“How’s it going?” asked Harry, suddenly seeing the resemblance in his friend for the first time.  His face was round like Alice’s, his nose and eyes like Frank.

“Y-yeah,” muttered Neville, casting a sideways look at Sirius, “Oi, isn’t that-?”

“Neville,” cut in Lupin, smiling warmly and extending his hand, “Nice to see you again.  I’m not sure you’ve met my old friend and Harry’s Godfather, Sirius Black?”

Neville looked like he’d eaten his grandmother’s hat as Sirius strained a smile and said, rather drily, “I gather by your whitish tinge, you’re of the belief I’m a raging homicidal maniac.  I can’t answer for first thing in the morning, but I can assure you I’m quite harmless.  I was a good friend of your mum and dad’s.  Frank was one hell of a man and I was a real fan of old Chambers.”

“He’s been briefed,” said McGonagall, marching up to stand by Mad-Eye at the head of the table and rustling a few items around in a cotton bag in preparation, “And it was clear that he has no idea about this Memory Box nor who sent it.  But we did find a few things at the house and he provided us with some interesting information.”

All eyes swivelled to look at Neville who had begun to sweat slightly.

“My room had been touched,” he mumbled, as Mrs Weasley, setting down a plate of sandwiches in front of him asked kindly, “How do you mean, Neville dear?”

“Well, it wasn’t cleaned as such,” he said, picking limply at his meal, “But things were moved.  I thought gran’s elf had been in there but…I dunno.  It was like someone had rearranged my stuff.  And added things.”

“Which I brought…” McGonagall stood staring at the board, mouthing the names silently.  She paused for a moment before turning to Lupin and Sirius, “Is it really those girls, do you think?”

Lupin remained cold, “We have no proof they are alive.”

Sirius shrugged lifelessly; Harry caught a tender sympathy touch McGonagall’s expression before she pulled herself up straight, “Well we may have some clues.  This was the first foreign item we found-”

She produced a single leaf and briskly dusted it down, its dull edges crumpling slightly.  Harry couldn’t help but feel enormously let down.

“Though it appears ordinary,” she began, quite loudly and with annoyance, as everyone snuck sideways looks at one another “We believe this to be a protective charm.”

“Come again?” asked Sirius, echoes of the schoolboy sarcasm lilting his tones, before Lupin asked sharply, “Minerva, let me see that.”

Everyone snapped their eyes to Lupin, who had strode over to McGonagall and grabbed the frail leaf.  He studied it for a second, tipping it this way and that, before holding it up to his eyeline and staring along the surface.

Sirius exhaled impatiently before Lupin said quietly, “It’s a leaf from the nest of a Knupcluck.”

Ron snorted at the abstract word as Hermione glared at him, hard.

“A knupcluck?” asked Sirius with an edge to his voice, “The ugliest looking bird in Europe?  How is this relevant?”

“The knupcluck,” said Lupin calmly, “Is a highly magical creature, envoking sophisticated protective magic around the nest holding its young.”

“The leaves,” said Sirius rolling his eyes, “Are also good on a curry.  Simmer one on top of the sauce before serving.  Preferably with chips.  Neville’s nan probably liked the same thing.”

“This leaf still holds magic,” and Lupin lightly tapped the leaf with his wand causing it to hum and smoke slightly, “The leaves you like on your curry are stripped.  Because if they’re not, it’d kill you quicker than you can say knupcluck.  This one is still fresh.”

Sirius still looked unconvinced before Kingsley asked thoughtfully, “Aren’t those creatures almost extinct?”

“Too many curries, you see,” said Sirius in a mock tone to Lupin.

“Everywhere except Bulgaria,” said Lupin loudly, raising an eyebrow at Sirius.  “Shut it with the sarcasm Padfoot and have a think about that.”

Sirius stared at him for a moment before saying quietly, “No – she gave up long ago-”

Lupin looked horribly let down as he sat down hard at the table.  “But it’s possible they’d have entrusted the memory box to her.  Possible that she felt Harry should have it.  Possible she did the wholething.”

Andromeda cast a look at Mrs Weasley before asking softly, “Anyone going to share?”

“It’s Mary,” said Sirius bitterly, pushing his chair back as he stood up violently, “It’s Mary effing McDonald.”

As he stormed angrily out of the room, Harry felt a heavy disappointment wash over him.  Bitter, angry disappointment.

Mary McDonald, the close friend of his mother and her friends.  Risked her

life for them countless times.  The friend who had left long ago, unable to face the past.

“But it still could be…?” asked Ginny timidly, looking to Tonks for encouragement.

Tonks simply shrugged and glanced at Mad-Eye who was magicking away his blackboard.

“McDonald,” he said grimly, dusting off his hands, “Even I was blinded.”

“They could have easily given her the box,” said Lupin quietly, his face and voice hollow.  “Asked her to keep it for safe keeping.  She went back to Bulgaria with her old boyfriend after the first war.  The rumblings of Voldemort’s return must have reached her shores.  Brought back the old memories.”

“But how did it get into the house?” asked Ron, “We would have seen her.”

“Does it matter?” asked Lupin bitterly.  He stood up and ran a hand over his tired face as he whispered, “Blinded by those old memories.  Saw what wasn’t there…”

As he turned and walked away, Harry felt the sharp sting of a tear fill his eyes.

He glanced up at his Godfather again, who was staring maddeningly at the large bird perched on the highest corner of the bookshelf When Harry awoke at around 7 o’clock that evening, he felt a strange sense of euphoria. He blinked his eyes rapidly as he took stock of the crackled ceiling in the drawing room, unwrapping himself from the fold of the old sofa. He’d been having a dream that was filled with his parents; mixtures of the memories he’d watched the night before. He could still hear his father’s light hearted chuckle, his mother’s kind, soft voice before his hand brushed something soft as he reached for his glasses.

Wolfie was lying abandoned on the small coffee table, his one eyed, one eared face staring blankly at the floor. As he took in the weathered, half chewed stuffed toy, the disappointment from the morning flooded through him with a solid and violent thud.

Mary McDonald, the keeper of the mystery. He heaved a heavy sigh as he almost willed himself back into slumber. To think, for a few short hours he could have had one or even two of his Godmother’s back. Sirius could have had his son. Wolfie his rightful owner.

The let down was crippling.

He lay there for a few more minutes, eyes scrunched shut and debating disappearing up to his room before he heard a disruption in the hall. Sitting up and stretching his arms, he called to Ron who was whispering loudly to Hermione about not waking Harry.

“Alright?” asked Ron, lumbering into the room, Hermione following with a mug of tea, “Thought you might be awake.”

“Are you alright, Harry?” asked Hermione, sitting on the small table in front of him, staring into his face as though she were at the bedside of the terminally ill. “You’ve been asleep for hours. You look dreadfully tired.”

“Up all night, wasn’t I?” muttered Harry, sipping the tea. “Any news?”

Hermione shrugged, casting an anxious look at him as though he may combust before her eyes at any moment, “They’ve been trying to contact Mary. No one can find her though.”

“A bit harsh, this whole thing isn’t it?” asked Ron, chewing on a nail, “She could’ve just said it was her in the first place.”

“She must have had her reasons,” offered Hermione shrugging hopelessly before wincing at the accusatory looks from both boys, “Well she must of! I can’t imagine anyone being so cruel but we all do but we mustn’t judge before we know the circumstances.”

 Harry’s thoughts were dark as he ground his jaw hard. He had decided, somewhere between asleep and awake, that should he ever meet Mary McDonald, he’d give her a good hexing. It was the least he could do, considering. 

“Seen Sirius?” asked Ron conversationally, looking towards the door, “We all figured he’d gone to sleep but Fred heard him raging from somewhere upstairs. Sounded like half the West Country were trampling the third floor.” “He needs some time alone,” said Hermione thoughtfully. “A day or so at least.”

“Wotcher Harry,” came Tonks’ voice as she slipped into the room, “Have a good nap?”

“I guess,” mumbled Harry, managing a weak smile, “What’s been happening?”Tonks looked exhausted as she gave a careless shrug and fell into the armchair. “Not a lot…”

She ruffled her pink, cropped hair before looking thoughtfully at her hands. She raised her eyebrows as she shuffled uneasily, fidgeting her body as she glanced at the door. She nodded for Ron to duck his head as she magicked the door closed. “What’s happened?” asked Harry immediately, sitting up straight on the sofa. “What’s gone on?” “Nothing, nothing,” murmured Tonks, biting at her thumbnail before looking seriously at them all. “But I’ve been thinking there’s more to this than we care to consider.”

Harry shared a look with Ron before Hermione asked, “What are you saying?”

“Well,” and Tonks looked slightly abashed before bursting out, “It’s just, I can’t help but think – no, no feel – that we’re not giving our original assumptions more of a shot-” “No,” said Harry, cutting her off and shaking his head violently. He simply couldn’t take anymore of this. “It’s Mary, Tonks. That makes logical sense-”

“Hear me out,” said Tonks quietly, putting her hands up. “I’ve been listening, hearing things. No one’s seen Mary for years. And I was just out helping Kingsley and Mad-Eye, and there’s been no trace of her for the last 18 months…”

“If she knew You Know Who was about,” shrugged Ron, “It’s fair to say she may have packed up her old kit bag and run off. If I’d been through half of what we saw…” and he blew out a long sigh, “I’d be moving to Australia.”

They all glanced up as Fred and George came tumbling into the room. Two gangly balls of pent up energy, they both looked like tightly packed fireworks. 

“What’s all this, eh?” asked Fred glancing around the pensive looks, “I feel a cheeky plan in the works.

“And we love a cheeky plan,” winked George, lounging into the sofa next to Harry, “Alright Potter? What’s the craic?” 

“Tonks reckons there’s more to this than that McDonald bird,” shrugged Ron, answering for Harry, “But-”

 

“Us too,” hissed George, squeezing himself between Ron and Hermione, “No one’s seen hide nor hair of her for almost 2 years-”

“Though apparently it’s not unlike her,” chimed in Fred, “I heard that Lorna woman saying, to disappear for a few months; but she just up and left one day without so much as a seeya later”.  “Harry, I think you should call Rahjah again,” said Tonks seriously. “Without Sirius around, he may help you-” “DORA!”

They all jumped at Andromeda burst into the room, hissing at Tonks. “What are you saying?!”

“Sorry Mum,” she murmured but looking defiant, “But I think it’s worth a shot.”

Andromeda looked tired, her eyes red rimmed and her cheeks blotched. She shook her head as she came to sit on the arm of the sofa and rubbed her eyes, “Enough, now. There will be no calling of Rahjah, no more investigations, no more ‘what ifs’.

None of us can take anymore; I feel as though I’ve been drained dry and I’ve only been here 12 hours. It’s Mary-”

“Tonks said no one’s seen her for well over a year?” asked Harry, his voice accusing, “Is this true?”Andromeda stared at Harry, full in the face before nodding, “That is true-”

“Could she could be helping them?”

Andromeda swallowed hard before clasping her hands firmly in her lap, saying decidedly, “It would be a long shot. Our earlier assumptions had several flaws; our guesses were full of holes and the result of emotions running high. When it came to believing those girls were alive, we could have justified every possible and impossible theory. Even I, who didn’t watch all those old memories could conjure countless conjecture; all of them were so easy to love. But taking a step back, knowing Mary as I did, to do this fits her character. Anonymous and detached. Clean and simple, without having to face us all.” “But what of Kreacher?” asked Hermione, looking up as Lupin walked into the room. He nodded at them all, his face hard and worn. Hermione faultered before repeating, “What of Kreacher?” “Residual magic,” threw in Lupin, his voice croaky. “From the Fedelius Charm. Dumbledore believes the magic affected him as it did because we asked what happened within the other realm of this house. The poor creature’s loyalties have been compartmentalised; by love and force. He can’t repeat what goes on in our sphere and through ties to his House, cannot reveal what unfolds. Mary wasn’t the most gifted of witches but she knew people. We think she rustled up some small time pick pocket from Knockturn Alley and paid him a bob to break in here.”

They all fell into silence, disappointment once again thickening the air and Harry fell back to wishing everyone would leave him alone.

“You lot had a snooze?” asked Tonks to the others, desperate for something to say.  “I managed an hour on the landing.”

 “A few,” said Ron as Hermione scoffed, “You’ve been out like a light since you disappeared to go to the loo. Just got up, you have.”He pulled a face at her before he said brightly to Harry, “Mum made some sandwiches earlier – she left some for you on the table.” “Not hungry,” muttered Harry leaning back into the sofa. 

Hermione exchanged a look with Tonks before saying softly, “You should eat something Harry. Or try to go back to sleep; it’s after ten.” 

He shook his head, willing them all to leave. When it became apparent no one had any intention of leaving him alone, he got up awkwardly and muttered, “Gonna find a sandwich.”

As he stumbled out of the room (followed by the others, much to his annoyance), he began to hear a mumbling of voices from the kitchen. His heart started to thump wildly as he recognised the sing-song laugh, the high pitched cackle, the motherly ‘stop that right now, Marlene’. He broke into a half run, ignoring Hermione’s desperate plea for silence as they passed the curtained portraits and Tonks’ calling for Lupin and Sirius, exploding into the kitchen to find Neville ashen faced, eyes glassy.

“Neville-wha-?” “It just came on,” whispered Neville, his body shaky. He was alone at the table, the Memory Box awake from its slumber at the centre, majestically projecting the grassy scene of Hogwarts complete with its four precious inhabitants.

“How did you-?” But before Harry could finish, Marlene was shrieking from the frame. “It’s James POTTER!”She was dancing about pointing accusingly, before hands flying to hips and glaring, “So it was YOU who have opened our memory

box? Typical. Bloody typical. You see this girls? Can’t trust a Marauder. Oi Evans. Your boyfriend’s at it again.” “He’s not my boyfriend,” hissed Lily, idly leaning against the rock quite red faced and refusing to look at Harry. “So shut up.”

“A fiver says he will be one day,” sniggered Isabella who was stretched out on the lawn, “And you can bet your knickers I’ll cash in on that one.” 

“No, don’t think it is him,” offered Alice, wandering over and staring Harry in the face, “Could be a relation?”

Marlene gave an annoyed scoff that suggested she was clearly challenged before exhaling with an annoyed air. She inspected her nails before rolling her eyes at the gobsmacked group in standing in the kitchen. “Right laugh you lot are.” “Don’t-” struggled Harry, his breath quickening and disbelief threatening to choke him, “Don’t you-? But we all met, earlier-”

“You showed us your stories,” cut in Hermione as Ginny looked upset, “You met us all-”

“I don’t remember having the pleasure,” snapped Marlene, “And you lot had better have a good explanation for getting us out here.”

“And for getting past our guard,” frowned Lily, hoisting Isabella up and walking to stand by the other two. “We’ve got serious charms working on this Memory Box.”

“What’s going on!” came Lupin’s voice as he skidded into the room, Sirius slamming into the back of him. Lupin went pale when he saw the girls; Sirius rubbed his red eyes, the stench of bourbon rippling off his clothes.

“How the bloody hell did you-” he began in a whisper before all four girls shrieked from the frame, causing everyone to wince.

 

“How DARE you-” “I knew you’d be behind this-” “Of all the nerve-” “BLACK-” Isabella’s screech was the loudest.

“Neville,” began Lupin earnestly, his eyes never leaving the frame, “How did you open this?” “Who is this Neville person?” demanded Marlene, arms waiving maniacally and pointing violently at everyone in the room. “And what makes him qualified to summon us?”

“Calm down, Marlene!” hushed Alice, “And what do you mean summon us? We’re not the bloody witches of Eastwick.” “BLACK!” screeched Isabella again, before Alice added, “Izzy will you stop shrieking!” 

“It’s a TRAVESTY!” declared Marlene, fanning herself. “Of all the BETRAYALS!”

“Let’s just everyone calm down,” said Lily, putting a hand on Marlene’s shoulder. The drama, emphasised by the screaming was about to send her off the edge completely. 

“How did you open this box?” asked Alice calmly, “You shouldn’t have been able to bypass our guards.”

“They would have used hexes,” scowled Isabella, clearly off the end of a row with the young Sirius, “Or some similar dark magic. That’s the sort of little toe-rags they are-”

“My secrets,” whispered Marlene theatrically, turning to Isabella for support as she was clearly the only one of them determined to hold at least one Marauder responsible. “What if they have seen mydeepest secrets?”

“For God’s sake Marls,” snorted Lily, “You’re not in the effing MI5. Pull yourself together.”

“What’s an M-eye-five?” asked Alice, before rolling her eyes at Marlene who was massaging her temples as though she’d just been witness to some great travesty. “They probably tried to see them,” said Isabella darkly, casting glares at everyone in the room. She sent a particularly venomous glare at Sirius, “Arse.”

Sirius rolled his eyes before glancing at Harry, “Do they remember you?”

“No,” whispered Harry, devastated.

“There’s some residual though,” mumbled Tonks quietly, “They don’t seem so stunned at how you both look. And look at them closely; they all look drained. Isabella especially.” 

It was true; each girl looked slightly worn and tired. Even Marlene, desperate for some drama wasn’t her usual witty self. Her pretend teary looked slightly too real, her emotional outbursts similar to an exhausted child. “Neville?” asked Lupin, “Can you tell us how you opened this?”

“I-”, stumbled Neville, staring blankly at the figure of his young mother, “I just flicked the latch-”

“Impossible!” snorted Lily, “He couldn’t have done. No one but a trusted party can do that and none of us have met him in our lives.”Alice glanced at each of her audience before saying softly, “Something’s wrong.”Lily shared a look with her before pulling her by the hand and inching closer to the front of the frame. Isabella and Marlene remained where they were, leaning on one another, muttering darkly.  “Remus, what’s going on?”

Lupin nodded to Sirius before saying quietly, “The Memory Box was open some twelve hours ago. You got to know us all quite well.”

“You have no questions for us,” said Sirius, folding his arms, “You don’t seem surprised to see us.”Lily looked at Alice before nodding, “This seems familiar. But not the comfortable kind.” “As though it’s assumed,” agreed Alice, “Like we were expecting you.” 

“What’s got her goat?” asked Sirius nodding to Isabella, “What have I done now?”

 

Lily shrugged, “I suppose you both had a row?”

They all looked up as Mad-Eye came thumping in, Andromeda, McGonagall and a few order members at his heels.

 “Who opened it?” demanded Mad-Eye, pushing his way to the front, “What have they said?”

Neville went even paler, if it was possible, and put his hand up. “I-I just sort of flicked the latch. I never thought-”

“They came straight out, it seems,” said Lupin gravely, shaking his head at Sirius who was itching to talk, “No, Padfoot.”

“They’re here!” he exclaimed. “Why can’t we just ask them-”

“And risk them all having a tizz and running off?!”

“What’s wrong with them?” whispered Andromeda, her eyes welling up, “That’s not the Marls I knew. Or Izzy.”They looked up at the frame and saw Marlene and Isabella slumped against the rock, looking on the edge of sleep. Lily was stifling a yawn as Alice rubbed her face.

“They’ve been up all night,” offered Tonks, “Going through all of those memories must have been exhausting…” “But Ms Evans and Ms Chambers are somewhat alert,” said McGonagall sharply, before eying Marlene and Isabella as though she’d caught them playing truant, “The other two girls are almost comatose.” “It’s p-p-probably because,” offered Alice, stifling a yawn, “They were both responsible for the guard of the box.  A break-in would exhaust their imprints.”

Lily nodded, “Alice and I did the magic to capture the memories, those two were in charge of defence.”

 

 

Sirius managed a small grin as he shook his head, “Explains the naffy questions and ability for Mooney and I to get in so easily earlier.”

The memory frame suddenly blurred, echoes and cries crashing through like an avalanche, a wind suddenly whistling and shrieking through the box.Everyone in the kitchen jumped and grabbed at one another, excitement and dread rippling through the air until Mad-Eye shouted for everyone to step back from the box. “Something’s happening, here!” he said loudly, pushing past everyone to stand right by the box, “And we need to know now.”

He examined the box from a safe distance, watching it hum ominously before squinting and grunting at the grey, opaque frame that was now blank of its inhabitants. He nodded a few times before turning to the group in the kitchen, which had now grown to over 15. All the Order members had seemed to appear from the very walls of the room.

“Sirius, Remus, over here.” 

 

He ushered the two men to touch the box. “You both had the strongest connection with the girls. I want you both to touch it on my count of three; Kingsley, Arthur, on my signal we will perform a conjuring spell to try to bring the imprints of the girls to the surface. Minerva, Molly, Lorna and Andromeda; I want you four to perform the most powerful trusting spell you can. We want them all out here, and comfortable enough to answer our questions. The rest of you stand as far back as you can. Ready?”

 As Harry stepped back with the others, he felt his heart almost beating out of his chest. As Mad-Eye shouted, “3 – 2 – 1 –” half the room raised their wands and Remus and Lupin both placed their hands on the box.

An almighty shriek burst threw the air, cutting at everyone’s eardrums. Harry thought his brain would explode before he heard Andromeda shout, “GET YOUR HANDS OFF THE BOX! QUICK-”

Sirius fell back into Mad-Eye, and Remus clutched his hand as though he’d been burnt. Everyone looked alarmed as they tried to catch breath; their ears were ringing violently. As the sound quietened, McGonagall shook her head, “Clearly, it’s not either of you with the power to coax them out.”

Lupin was blowing furiously on his hand, small welts bursting up over his skin, “What the hell-” “I feel as though I’ve been beaten,” said Sirius in a gruff voice, nursing his hand in the crook of his other arm, “Like a shock was sent right through me.”

Andromeda rubbed her temples, “They clearly didn't like that. We must let them tell us their secrets in their own time.  And for goodness sake you two don't touch that box again!”

“We may not have time,” said Kingsley, scratching his head thoughtfully, “We all know something is happening-”He stopped suddenly, giving an apologetic look to Molly who gave him a scolding look. Harry stared at her as she tried to smile as though nothing was wrong. 

“What’s going on?”

No one said anything before Sirius suddenly said, “He’s got a right to know-”

“He’s a child-” “Molly,” and Sirius looked pained as he did his utmost to keep his frustration in check, “After everything he’s seen-”

“You have to tell me," demanded Harry, interrupting the exchange.  "Now.”

Lupin nodded and put a gentle hand up to stop Molly’s impending protests, “He’s right. All the children should be informed. They are too much involved now.”

Harry felt a twinge of nerves as Lupin turned to him, “There have been strange whispers from the other side that after the arrival of this box, suddenly make sense. Our informants claim an unknown force has begun infiltrating them; not forcefully or obviously. More as though they are being stalked; strategic members are gone temporarily missing, surfacing with no recollection of where they have been. Small hurdles are being put in their way, petty battles are being lost-”    

“And with Neville’s home being so obviously visited,” cut in Sirius, “Whoever it is, is playing with us as well. We haven’t thought much of it; it’s been so trivial. Little battles have not been as difficult these past weeks, a few part-time Death Eaters have been appearing in the Ministry court rooms as though they have captured and awaiting imprisonment.”

“And with the happenings of the last 72 hours,” finished Lupin, “There is a certain feeling that things are falling into place.”

“You think it’s these girls?” questioned McGonagall, looking to her peers, “Surely not-”

“Well we’ll never know,” said Sirius bitterly, shaking out his red raw hand, “They won’t let us near them.”

“There is another way,” said Mad-Eye suddenly, his face looking particularly knarled as he frowned thoughtfully. “I’m not keen, but it could be our only option.”

Everyone waited with baited breath as they watched him pace a few steps, the plonk plonk plonk of his wooden leg making everyone uneasy. 

He looked at everyone before standing up straight and stamping his stick on the floor with finality. “It’s our only option.”

He looked at the large group before saying sharply, “Potter, Longbottom. Up here.”

There were few cries from Mrs Weasley and Andromeda, some sharp breaths from others but Mad-Eye shook his head. He ushered both Harry and Neville to come closer, “They are direct descendants. Longbottom had only flick the latch and they appeared. If they will allow anyone near them, it’s their descendants.”

Neville had a rather stoic expression as he took his place beside Harry; he managed a small smile before nodding slightly. Harry felt a grin touch his lips; it felt symbolic standing there with Neville. He had an odd awareness as he realised how much their mothers would have loved to see them standing together. It felt right.  What needed to be done.

“No wands,” said Mad-Eye quietly, “If it's the way, they will need no encouragement from us to bring them out.  Everyone back.” 

As the group shuffled to the back wall, Sirius and Lupin hovering ever so slightly closer to the front, Mad-Eye turned to Harry and Neville, “You will know instantly if you are not wanted. Do not linger, do not struggle to keep your hand on the box. On the count of three-”

Harry stretched out his hand and took a deep breath. Neville closed his eyes.

“One. Two. Three-”

As Harry’s hand touched the box, he felt a sharp tug through his body; the room around him seemed to disappear into complete darkness as sounds and movements appeared around him. 

Being thoroughly used to such strange happenings, though never completely scared, Harry was stunned to feel no trace of fear. If anything, he felt slightly euphoric.

And ever so very safe.The darkness continued to whirl, the sound of Rahjah’s song echoing in the winds before he heard the voices: “FINALLY! We’ve got contact…

 Stay strong darling boys, just stay strong….The connection is getting stronger…

Hold in there, you’re almost to them. You can sense where they are, just find them!

We are not strong enough, we can’t see – we can only feel but –Hurt…injured…we cannot see…

Please…just…please…

They’ve got the Memory Box-

With a sharp tug, Harry was pulled back. He gasped for breath as the kitchen appeared. He felt dazed as he looked up at Neville who was pale and panting. Both shared a look of disbelief.

Sirius and Lupin were on them at once, demanding to know everything. Mrs Weasley was fretting loudly at the state of them, Ron and Hermione pleading to know they were alright.

“ENOUGH!” And Mad-Eye pulled everyone back. “You both went into a trance. What happened?”

“We heard voices,” whispered Harry, “Though it wasn’t anyone I recognised….”

He turned to Neville who looked visibly shaken; accepting chocolate from Lupin he shook his head, “Weird. But I wasn’t scared.”

“What did the voices say Harry?” pleaded Sirius, grabbing him by the shoulders, the pain in his eyes paramount. “Please..” “They were looking for a connection,” said Harry at once. “Trying to find us, but-”, as a few people gasped at the potential of this, “It wasn’t

Voldemort or any of his followers. It’s a friend. I could feel it. Someone safe.  But I can’t identify who.”

“We’ll ask them to show everyone,” said Neville suddenly, his face brazen with an unknown courage, “I know we can ask them.”

Harry felt an odd wave of understanding beat between them; after a few seconds of silence he nodded. “Once more, and we ask them to show them all.”

He saw Ron look worriedly at Hermione but he ignored it. He felt the sudden urgency to share what he’d felt; he nodded to Neville and touched the box once more. He shut his eyes tight and said loudly in his head:

 Show them all. They can help.

As the familiar tug grabbed him once more, he stayed where he was in the room. He felt a light flicker brightly on his eyelids; he opened them wide and looked up at the frame that flickered wildly.

Deep shadows and raging winds filled the scene; the voices coming once more…

They’re all there, the Order…they can help…just hold on...

They can’t…injured…no, I can't..I’m going back…I can’t find ….

Please, we must stay together, no...As the voices died away, Harry kept a firm hold on the box. He willed with all his heart to see who was talking; who was injured. As he asked again in his mind show them…show them…the shapes in the frame began to solidify, and two figures became apparent.

Both were two old women; very old Harry thought to be in such a dark and dismal place on their own. One had fallen to the ground, panting and moaning as blood poured down her face. The other was barely on her feet, gashes and blood down her frail arms and cheeks as she willed herself to keep moving forward.As a fierce wind raged, the old woman on the floor looked up and mouthed a few words. The other, tears falling shook her roughly, No No No she wailed silently as the one on the floor nodded. With an energy willed from nowhere, she lifted her arm and shot a blinding light of red into the air before falling motionless in a heap.

 

And suddenly, the frame was blank.

No one said a word for a full minute; Harry kept his hand on the box, Neville almost shaking it, but nothing would appear.

“Wh-who were they?” he asked after a moment. He looked at Harry and repeated, “Who were they?”

Harry shrugged and looked to Sirius. He was pale and staring at the blank wall stunned. Lupin ruffled his hair and looked to the group, “I don’t recognise any of them.” “They’re too old to have known Mary,” accused Andromeda, walking forward to stand by Sirius, “Too old to have known the girls.”

“They must have,” said McGonagall worriedly, “Perhaps later in life. Whoever they are though, we must find them. They are hurt-”

“Could it have been a disguise?” offered Kingsley as Mad-Eye shrugged, “A Polyjuice you mean? Possibly, but it’d have to be wielding a fairly decent strength behind it. They were hurt badly, and Polyjuice tends to fade when injury of that magnitude is faced.”

“We should set-up a search,” began Arthur at once, “We must find them-”

But no one had even a second to pull out a map, or send a Patronus. For at that moment, the sharp red light from the memory frame blasted into the room with the unknown voice:We’re outside. Please help us.

  

 There was a moment of silence as the bright red light disappeared with a snap, before chaos reigned.

 

 

 

Everyone began to shout; Mad-Eye took charge, barking orders of who was to leave the house first and with whom. Mr Weasley was arguing with the twins to stay put as they fought back they were of age to help. Lupin was yelling madly at Sirius who had taken on his Animagus form and was charging violently at anyone who stood in between his way and the door. Andromeda was sending for Dumbledore, Tonks fell onto a pile of plates in her haste to prepare, sending them crashing to the ground like lashings of thunder. Kingsley was attempting a complicated disguise on himself and Order members around him, designed to make their appearance transparent. Mrs Weasley was calling for her children. Lorna was shouting for calm. Ron looked as though he might wet himself with excitement. Hermione looked frightened. Neville looked bewildered.

 

 

 

As Harry felt himself tugged and pulled through the commotion, everyone falling about themselves, Mad-Eye blasted an invisible horn that had

everyone wincing and shielding their ears as it threatened to crack their very skulls.

 

 

 

“Will everyone just shut UP! We must stay calm – you will keep your heads and go no where until we have a plan!”

 

 

 

“We should go in groups,” announced McGonagall, looking harassed as Tonks fell about around her trying to clean up the broken dishes. “For heavens sake Nymphadora-”

 

 

 

“I’ll head out first-” called Remus, impatiently pushing his way to the front, “I’ll know-”

 

 

 

“We go in groups,” interrupted Mad-Eye, “Minerva, Arthur – we’ll go together. Tonks; you, Kingsley and Lorna will watch the perimeter, but stay close to the house. Do not let anyone past without a fight. Andromeda– you and Molly will stay with the children and prepare to apparate them out at any sign of attack. Sirius-”

 

 

 

Sirius had transformed quickly back and looked mutinous, “I will not stay indoors-”

 

 

 

Mad-Eye gave an annoyed grunt, “Of course you’re bloody well not. Apart from it being totally pointless to stop you, we need you.”

 

 

 

Sirius looked stunned. He barely blinked as Kingsley pushed past him and stood in Mad-Eye’s face. “Alastor! We can’t risk-what if he’s-?”

 

 

 

“We need him,” grunted Mad-Eye with shrug. “That’s the end of it.”

 

 

 

“You think it wise?!” accused McGonagall sharply, “What if he’s seen-”

 

 

 

“He’ll blow us out of the water!” shouted Lorna, looking to a dumpy wizard for support, “After all the work we’ve done to keep him concealed-”

 

 

 

“You can’t-”

 

 

 

“Outrageous to even suggest-”

 

 

 

“-with the entire country looking for him-”

 

 

 

 

 

Harry noticed a spark erupting behind Sirius’ eyes as the bickering went on; the light of his former self returning. The need to be needed, the need to be back fighting. 

 

 

 

“Sirius will leave the house first,” insisted Mad-Eye, waving his hand to shoosh the noise, “And that’s it. He knows the area backwards, and we could use the canine senses. Moreover, if it’s one of those girls, they’ll recognise and trust immediately.”

 

 

 

Harry turned to grin at Sirius as Mad-Eye continued, “But I want no theatrics Black. No risks; any attempt to expose yourself, or this order-”

 

 

 

“Expose the Order?!” spluttered Sirius, “Do you honestly think I would-”

 

 

 

“I think” said Mad-Eye, fighting to keep his tone calm, “That you are a man who before this night, had nothing left to fight for. If you go tearing out there, full guns blazing and it’s You Know Whobehind this, you’re done for and will take all of us down with you. He knows a lot about you, Black; your wife was a jewel he badly wanted for his crown and he studied both of you closely, trying to infiltrate. He knows how you think, how you act, how you operate. To fill your head of the past; the memories of the love and happiness you once had and dangle them in front of you? You’re out, like a duck in the firing line within minutes. You need to remember you have ties – whether they’re weak or irreparable, to the Eastern Empire and we can’t be sure your legacy does not live on, entwined with their future-”

 

 

 

“I know Alastor-”

 

 

 

“-and you’re also Harry Potter’s Godfather in case you’d forgotten.”

 

 

 

Sirius gave a derisive snort, “Of course I’ve not-”

 

 

 

“Just mind yourself,” growled Mad-Eye, “It could be a trap and we’re all relying on you-”

 

 

 

Sirius looked appropriately chastised as he said quietly, “I’ll keep myself in check, don’t worry about that.”

 

 

 

Mad-Eye grunted, “If it’s who we think it is out there, they will recognise you first and be more likely to trust you. Remus? You will go with him; I want both of you vigilant and with your wits about you.”

 

 

 

Lupin looked stoic though excited. He exchanged a firm look with Sirius that reflected the significance of what was about to happen.

 

 

 

Mad-Eye regained his grim demeanour, “This is either a rescue mission or a strategic plan of attack. No one is to be a hero; if it is unsafe, retreat. If you get even the smallest inkling of suspicion, raise the alarm.”

 

 

 

Everyone prepared to move, Mrs Weasley ushering her children towards the upstairs, Fred and George looking only slightly placated as Mad-Eye himself told them to stay put as they’d need to help the younger ones apparate if needed. As they moved quietly through the hall and to the stairs, a hand touched Harry’s shoulder and pulled him back.

 

 

 

“Harry-”

 

 

 

Sirius had a strange expression, as though he were halfway to euphoria but had stopped short at hesitation. Lupin stood beside him, with a similar look and Harry wasn’t sure what was about to be said.

 

 

 

“Stay safe,” said Sirius gruffly, gripping his shoulder tightly. “If this isn’t-well, if we don’t-” 

 

 

 

“We’ll be back,” Lupin finished in quiet, reassuring tones. “We all know what we hope for, but have not forgotten what it is to be at war. Do what is asked of you, Harry. If you must leave, do it.”

 

 

 

“Don’t wait for us,” added Sirius warningly, “Get yourself out.”

 

 

 

Harry nodded, not sure of how he should act as he watched them all prepare to go through the front door. Sirius gave him one last pat on the shoulder before transforming into a dog. He paced for a few moments before glancing up at Lupin and trotting towards the door. Lupin took a deep breath and said softly, “We will only draw up the alarm should there be trouble; if we find them first, we’ll bring them back without signalling. We can’t be sure this place isn’t being watched regardless of what we’ve seen. If we need to take them to shelter, we will.”

 

 

 

Hermione tugged Harry to follow them up the stairs; as they reached the first floor landing he looked back to see the front door open and Sirius and Lupin disappear into the night.

 

 

 

Mad-Eye signalled quietly for the rest to follow and Harry kept moving up the floors of the old, decrepit house.

 

 

 

As they climbed higher, the hallways narrowing and spiralling, dark whispers sounding from hidden portraits, Harry trained his ears to hear what was happening outside. Useless though it was, as they were gaining on three stories above street level, he was desperate to know what was unfolding. He felt a knock behind him – Neville losing his footing.

 

 

 

“Sorry,” mumbled Neville, managing a weak smile, “Preoccupied.”

 

 

 

Harry nodded, sympathising entirely.

 

 

 

As they rounded the final flight of stairs and onto a dark landing lit only with old lamps Mrs Weasley and Andromeda were lighting, Harry briefly took in his surroundings.

 

 

 

It was a small space in absolute disarray. A few boxes looked to have been thrown around, contents spilling out randomly with the smell of old, stale air. As Hermione wrinkled her nose at the state of things, Mrs Weasley muttered furiously, “Just look at the mess he’s made! Clothes, toys-” 

 

 

 

“These looked worn in,” interrupted Andromeda sharply, holding up a black jumper and shaking it. “See this here Molly? Stains – gravy by the looks of it.”

 

 

 

Mrs Weasley narrowed her eyes as she leaned into the jumper, giving it a small sniff. She snorted crossly before snatching the jumper and throwing it to Ron, “I don’t know how many times I need to ask you to keep your things tidy. Honestly. We are guests-”

 

 

 

“S’not mine!” exclaimed Ron indignantly, “Never seen it before.”

 

 

 

Mrs Weasley looked unconvinced. “Well it certainly looks like it is-”

 

 

 

“It isn’t,” snapped Ron, turning the jumper over in his hands, “It looks too small. Must be Harry’s.”

 

 

 

Harry picked up the jumper, and held it up, “Not mine. Too big for me.”

 

 

 

“It looks like someone was sleeping here,” cut in Ginny, holding up a worn blanket and gesturing to a pillow next to a box.

 

 

 

“And eating,” added Fred, picking up a muggle cereal box, “These are still fresh.”

 

 

 

Wands were immediately raised, Andromeda muttering homenum incantartum as they all held their breath. 

 

 

 

As the flickering light of the old lamps danced across the peeling walls, nothing but the whispers of the old house reached them. Everyone glanced at one another before Ron breathed, “Just us.”

 

 

 

“Do you think whoever delivered The Memory Box was sleeping here?” whispered Hermione suddenly. “None of us have been up here-” 

 

 

 

They all shared a knowing look before pouncing on belongings, upturning objects and scouring the floor, desperate for a clue.

 

 

 

“I’d bet my wand this is where the deliverer was staying!” said Ron gleefully, picking up a half eaten box of every flavoured beans, “We could figure out who just by-”

 

 

 

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” wheezed Andromeda, helping Mrs Weasley upturn a heavy blanket covering a pile of boxes with much effort, “It could be one of the Order, camping out for all we know.”

 

“A real nose for mystery this one,” snorted Fred, giving Ron (who was an inch from the carpet as though he were sniffing for clues) a swift kick, “A real Inspector Dectector he is.”

 

 

 

“What is this?” asked Neville, picking up a dusty old book of London streetmaps, “Looks like a bunch of muggle stuff.”

 

 

 

“Could be Sirius’s things,” contemplated Andromeda picking a things in a box, “It could have been him up here. He’d been creeping around this house for months before we all got here-oh!”

 

 

 

She snatched up an old dusty object, its glossy cover briefly twinkling in the light before she hugged it to her. She knelt down, cradling the book before dabbing at her eyes, “It’s-this is all – it’s- ”. She waved her hand at all the boxes, “This is all of Sirius’s old life.” 

 

 

 

She held up the book, Harry the Steam Engine.

 

 

 

Harry grinned as she opened the cover to reveal Cassion written a dozen times in barely legible childish scrawl. Food stains covered the dog-eared pages, the battered cover barely holding them all together.

 

 

 

“Oh look,” gushed Mrs Weasley picking up a photo frame, “Oh Harry this must be you!”

 

 

 

Everyone chuckled as the passed the frame to Harry, its contents revealing a young Sirius and James, both giddy with excitement under a banner that read World Cup – 1981. Harry was strapped to James’s chest, a strange contraption restraining all movement except a weak newborn arm whilst Cassion was careering wildly about on Sirius’s shoulders, screaming and shouting silently.

 

 

 

“What’s this?” asked George, picking up a small square-shaped locket. “Looks intriguing.”

 

 

 

“A pendant of some sort?” mused Fred, “Could have been Isabella’s.”

 

 

 

“I know what it is!” cut in Ginny, casting aside a muggle potato peeler, “It’s that memory capsule – remember? Isabella got it for Cassion to-”

 

 

 

Harry grabbed it from George and held it in the palm of his hand, a small fluttering of excitement in his chest. “It has a message,” he murmured, a small smile touching his lips as he unclipped the locket, the anticipation of seeing his Godmother lifting his spirits. “Remember?”

 

 

 

They all fell silent as a small beam burst from the locket as Harry opened it. It quivered as though cold for a few moments, before it exploded silently into a dusty figure.

 

 

 

Harry’s heart accelerated as he saw her shape take form for the second time in 72 hours. More a projected image than patronus-like this time, Isabella flickered to full coloured life, right there on the lounge room floor.

 

 

 

“Bloody hell-” began Ron, jumping in fright as the young woman all but appeared between his legs.

 

 

 

The twins let out a snort of laughter before Ginny smacked George hard on the arm.

 

 

 

“Shhh-”

 

 

 

Isabella was sitting cross-legged, looking expectant. She behaved like a memory, her movements and attention oblivious to the startled group around her. She hummed for a moment before giving a small sigh, rolling her eyes.

 

 

 

She lifted her arm, urging someone over before she spoke, her voice sounding out as though she were right there in the room:

 

 

 

“Cass? Come on baby, we need to do the message.”

 

 

 

A little noise sounded, just behind an old armchair in the corner. Andromeda immediately went towards it, casting her eyes desperately all over before giving a muffled cry as a little voice called out,

 

 

 

“I’m coming mummy!”

 

 

 

“No now, baby. Quickly.”

 

 

 

She raised her eyebrows to a stern expression before a little figure came running from behind the armchair, a battered wolf tightly in his hands.

 

 

 

Cassion was grinning, as he held up a small toy trumpet and blasted it loudly, following it with a large scream;

 

 

 

“HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPY CHRISTMAS DADDY!”

 

 

 

He fell into Isabella in a fit of giggles, arms waving as she laughed softly, smiling up at no one in particular, “Happy Christmas from me too. What else do we want to say?”

 

 

 

“We love you,” grinned Cassion widely, “And you’re the best daddy in the whole big world.”

 

 

 

She gave him a tickle, his baby giggles shrieking happily around the room.

 

 

 

“And what do we want Daddy to know if he’s not here?”

 

 

 

Cassion sat up, looking sad, “That we miss him.”

 

 

 

“That’s right baby. But it’s never too long till he comes home, right?”

 

 

 

She gave a big smile and went to cuddle him only Cassion didn’t move. He just stared blankly at her, watching her go through the movements of holding him and talking to him.

 

 

 

“It isn’t time yet,” he muttered, as though stepping out of a trance. He squatted down on the floor, his little hands twisting and turning around Wolfie’s arm as disappointment swam over his face. “It isn’t time.”

 

 

 

“I know what we can do!” Isabella clucked at him, retrieving a small story book from behind her, “Let’s read daddy a story!”

 

 

 

Cassion looked up to stare anxiously towards the small dirty window, as though he were waiting for someone. He gave a little sigh as he said as an aside, his voice flat and bored, “It’s the one Aunty Mar’s got us.”

 

 

 

“Yes! We all love this one don’t we? Daddy Padfoot and puppy. We can read it together.”

 

 

 

“Okay mummy.” It was as though he were blankly reading lines. “But I get to do the woofs.”

 

 

 

She shuffled around as though nestling him into her lap, and opened the cover. Cassion still hadn’t moved; he just continued to stare into space, anxiety twisting his little features.

 

 

 

“Mummy?” His voice was quiet against her sing-song narration; distracted and worried. “It isn’t the right time. I’m sorry.”

 

 

 

“Once upon a time, Daddy Padfoot…”

 

 

 

Harry cast a glance at the others, his thoughts mirrored in their faces. Something was definitely not right. 

 

 

 

Isabella continued, oblivious to her son’s behaviour. Cassion just sat, operating in a completely different sphere from hers.

 

 

 

“What’s going on?” whispered Ginny, her eyes wide, “Is he possessed? Why isn’t she doing something?”

 

 

 

“I don’t know,” murmured Hermione from beside her, squatting down to Cassion’s eye level. “It’s as though he’s not part of the message. He seems to know his role, playing his part as he should, but he’s also removed-”

 

 

 

She stopped short as Cassion stood up, his little face scrunched as he drew Wolfie to his mouth and chewed on his ear.

 

 

 

They all glanced nervously around before he turned right to Hermione and asked, “Where’s my daddy?”

 

 

 

She gave a small yelp and fell backwards into Ginny.

 

 

 

Cassion looked annoyed. He stared around at the others who were backing away in alarm before spotting Mrs Weasley. He toddled over and aimed to tug at her skirt.

 

 

 

“Have you seen my daddy?”

 

 

 

“I-er-I-”

 

 

 

“I’ve been waiting for him.”

 

 

 

He looked upset now, turning on the spot and twisting himself inward, clutching Wolfie in a definitive childish pose. “Want my daddy.”

 

 

 

He ran to Isabella, who was still animatedly reading the story, trying to get her attention, “Mummy’s not here no more. I’m scared. I need to help her.”

 

 

 

“Cass?” Andromeda’s voice was barely visible as she walked towards him and knelt down. Harry felt a little tug on his heart as a lone tear slid down her cheek.

 

 

 

“Cass baby?”

 

 

 

He turned and broke into a little smile when he saw her. He toddled over, his body relaxing as he cupped her face with his baby hands,

 

 

 

“Dromy. Find daddy.”

 

 

 

“He’s-” She struggled for a moment before saying, “He’s just gone out.”

 

 

 

He gave a cross little stamp, throwing wolfie to the ground. “He isn’t. He’s meant to be here.”

 

 

 

“He’s gone out to find-”

 

 

 

“He’s meant to find me fiiiiiiiiiirrrsssst.”

 

 

 

Cassion was breaking into a rage, his eyes filling with tears and his face going red, “No NO. Daddy HERE!”

 

 

 

“Shh now Cass. Can you tell Dromy why mummy can’t hear you?”

 

 

 

“I caaaaaaaaaaaaan’t!”

 

 

 

“Please Cass?” She looked desperate, watching him hiccup himself into a state, “Cass-”

 

 

 

“I can’t find her.”

 

 

 

“When did you last see her?”

 

 

 

“Don’t know. Can only speak to daddy”

 

 

 

“You can tell me? I’m sure he won’t mind.”

 

 

 

“Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! I’m not allowed to tell no one but daddy!”

 

 

 

Andromeda looked desperately around, searching their faces for a solution.

 

 

 

“Harry,” whispered Hermione from near the armchair, “You try!”

 

 

 

“He won’t recognise Harry!” hissed back Ron, “He remembers him as a baby; what’s he going to do if he-”

 

 

 

“It’s worth a shot!” snapped Ginny quietly, “Harry, talk to him!”

 

 

 

“What can I say?” Harry looked at the memory toddler, crying and shouting, his projected self tearing madly at his jumpsuit. He was gearing up for a big tantrum.

 

 

 

“For heavens sake,” hissed Hermione, “He’s a toddler, he won’t bite you! He’s not even real!”

 

 

 

He glared at her before rolling his eyes and approaching Cassion. 

 

 

 

“Er-” He glanced at Andromeda who gave him an encouraging nod, smiling as he crouched beside her, “Um, Cassion?”

 

 

 

He refused to look at him, his face beetroot red and lips puffed into a pout. He huffed on the spot before sulking, “What?”

 

 

 

“Could you maybe tell me?” He took a deep breath, “See, I know your dad-”

 

 

 

“Pongs?”

 

 

 

Cassion’s surprise had left his tantrum temporarily at bay; he stared into Harry’s face before his brow scrunched into suspicion, “Where’s Aunty ‘ily?”

 

 

 

“I’m not Prongs, Cassion. I’m Harry.”

 

 

 

Cassion stared at him for a moment before he unwound his limbs from his body and tentatively approached him.

 

 

 

“Harry?”

 

 

 

“Yes. I’m a bit older now-”

 

 

 

“Where is Neville?”

 

 

 

“I’m er, I’m here.” Neville’s voice was full of surprise. He stepped out of the shadows to crouch next to Harry. “I’m here-”

 

 

 

Cassion froze for a beat before his face broke into a grin. He reached out and seemed to feel the air around his face. He looked to Harry and nodded.

 

 

 

“You are Harry. And you are Neville. Here in daddy’s old house.”

 

 

 

Harry glanced at the others before nodded again. “Yes. Now when you say your mum is hurt-”

 

 

 

“It is time.”

 

 

 

He giggled before turning to Isabella who was still reading, “Daddy will be here soon!”

 

 

 

He turned back and, with an alarming clarity spoke very quickly, “When he arrives, you must call us back. We are the only ones to help.”

 

 

 

And in a flash, he and Isabella disappeared.

 

 

 

There was a humming silence where everyone just stared dumbly at the dormant locket in Harry’s palm.

 

 

 

“Well that was….weird,” began Ron, “I mean, what in the he-”

 

 

 

“I don’t understand?” announced Ginny looking confused, “Does this mean he’s alive? Or is his imprint being used in the same manner as the Memory Box?”

 

 

 

“It’s those two old women,” began Harry, “I think-”

 

 

 

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” said Mrs Weasley firmly, “Let’s just wait-”

 

 

 

“It’s definitely them,” said Harry quietly, ignoring the look she shot Andromeda, “I know you don’t think it is, but-”

 

 

 

“It does fit,” needled Hermione, sharing a little grin with Ginny, “And it’s too much of a coincidence-”

 

 

 

“It could all be part of the charms,” said Andromeda hopelessly, “We can’t jump to conclusions. As Ginny said-

 

 

 

Harry snorted angrily, “You saw it! You heard it!”

 

 

 

“I know Harry. But let’s just wait till everyone returns-”

 

 

 

Neville gave a sigh, all attention shifting to him, “The protection they used on us was pretty powerful, wasn’t it? And McGonagall mentioned something about that Isabella woman appearing out of the box swaying she was an imprint. It could be nothing.”

 

 

 

Harry looked at him in disbelief, “What do you mean? It’s obviously-”

 

 

 

“I’m just saying,” muttered Neville despondently, “It’s all a little too good to be true thinking you and I are going to meet our long-lost Godmothers, don’t you think? Things like that just don’t happen. People get hurt. People die. Not everyone gets a happy ending.”

 

 

 

“Neville. You haven’t seen what we have. It can’t all just be nothing-”

 

 

 

“You’re right, I’ve not seen. Let’s just wait until they’re back.”

 

 

 

Harry looked to the others for support but no one would provide. They all watched Neville rub his tired eyes, a sort of defeated sadness radiating from his body. Harry watched him roughly pick up an old photo album and go to the furthest corner, sit down and begin to look through.

 

 

 

“Mate,” said Ron quietly, putting a hand on his shoulder and urging him to stand up, “Let’s just leave it for now, okay?”

 

 

 

“But-”

 

 

 

“You’re beginning to sound like Sirius,” hissed Hermione crossly, her eyes watching Neville switch himself off from everyone around him. “Just leave it.”

 

 

 

Harry nodded, though he felt anything but in agreement.   

 

 

 

The minutes passed slowly in silence, everybody finding somewhere to sit and stretch out. Neville remained where he was, pouring over old photographs, asking Ginny questions every so often about who she recognised from the memories. Ron dozed in the opposite corner, his long gangly legs crossed awkwardly in the confined space. Mrs Weasley sat on an upturned box, folding and repacking the boxes with motherly care. Andromeda sat staring at the flickering light, lost in her thoughts as beside her, Hermione continued to pour over her books on magical capsules and their uses. The twins played a lazy game of cards, both bearing identical bored expressions whilst Harry sat on the ledge of a small, dirty window staring aimlessly into the dark night.

 

 

 

After 2 hours, his eyelids began to get heavy. His mind exhausted with thoughts and worry, his heart giving up hope that the Order would return with any answers. As he stood up to stretch, he caused a disturbance amongst a pile of books at his feet.

 

 

 

“Sorry,” he muttered, as everyone perked up to look at him, “Didn’t see…”

 

 

 

“What time is it?” yawned Ginny, “It feels like we’ve been up here forever.”

 

 

 

“After 3,” sighed Andromeda glancing at her watch, “I wonder what’s keeping them.”

 

 

 

“There’s been no sign, no message,” offered Mrs Weasley, dusting her hands from handling some old books, “I’m sure they’re fine.”

 

 

 

“Any food about?” yawned Ron, unfolding himself awkwardly like a newborn fawn, “I’m starving. I feel like I haven’t eaten for days-”

 

 

 

“You ate that old cereal an hour ago,” said Hermione mildly, “I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

 

 

 

“I should be able to conjure something from the kitchen,” began Mrs Weasley, rising from her seat, “I’ll whip up some-”

 

 

 

She stopped as they all pricked their ears to movement downstairs. With some unknown dormant energy they all jumped up, wands raised before Andromeda waved her hand for silence. They waited in bated breath before they heard Mad-Eye call, “We’re back.”

 

 

 

They thundered down the stairs like elephants, Harry and Neville at the front almost stampeding through the old house. They all but flew into the kitchen where Mad-Eye, Mr Weasley, Kingsley and a handful of the rest of the Order were rubbing their eyes in exhaustion, searching for refreshment and generally looking defeated.

 

 

 

“What happened?” asked Harry breathlessly, “Where’s Sirius?”

 

 

 

“No idea,” muttered Mad-Eye, easing with some difficulty into a chair. He groaned as he rubbed the buckle of his wooden leg, “They sent a signal they were safe and returning a few minutes ago and for us all to retreat back to headquarters. Most of the others went home or back to their patrol points.”

 

 

 

“Have they found them?” demanded Andromeda, looking to Tonks who was yawning widely, “Is it those girls?”

 

 

 

“We don’t know,” sighed McGonagall, accepting a cup of hot tea from Mrs Weasley, “We’ve been prowling for hours out there with no sign or indication of anything. They both disappeared out into the night and we’ve heard nothing but the message before-” 

 

 

 

“While you were gone,” began Harry, “We found a pendant-”

 

 

 

“That’ll be them,” sighed Mr Weasley, heaving himself up at the sound of the front door opening, “I’ll meet them on the way in and see you all later. I’m exhausted and need some sleep.”

 

 

 

“Let’s just hope Sirius hasn’t lost it,” muttered Mad-Eye, leaning on his cane to lurch himself up, “That’ll be an event in itself.”

 

 

 

Kinglsey gave him a lift under the elbow before walking towards the corridor, “It’ll be hard on him if it turns out to be nothing.”

 

 

 

“But it is something-” began Harry again desperately, “There was a pendant, and Isa-”

 

 

 

“Good grief-” and Kingsley suddenly broke into a run down the corridor, “Are they hurt-”

 

 

 

“What’s going on!” shouted Mad-Eye running for the corridor, everybody stampeding behind him, “Get back, get back!” he snarled as Ron accidently elbowed him in the ribs.

 

 

 

They all stepped back to allow him through, Andromeda and McGonagall next and watched them run to Sirius and Lupin who were cradling two broken figures between them.

 

 

 

Harry felt his heart jumping in his throat as he saw them carry the two old women to the sitting room. Hurrying behind them, he began to make desperate pleas to higher powers to ensure the safety of the new arrivals. Let them be okay. Let them be okay to tell us what we need to know.

 

 

 

Both women were laid on the sofas, confusion and madness sweeping with hysteria throughout the household. Mr Weasley was calling to the twins to help him light the fire for warmth, and to get extra blankets and pillows for the patients. Mrs Weasley and Andromeda were administering basic healing and calling for Emmeline to assist. Lorna, Mad-Eye and Kingsley were firing questions around various other Order members about what was going on, whilst Harry and his friends absorbed the chaos with dazed faces.

 

 

 

“I’m going back,” called Lupin as Sirius was holding the hand of one of the women, pleading in mixtures of Eastern and English, “To find the others she spoke of!”

 

 

 

“Remus wait!” demanded Mad-Eye, “You can’t-”

 

 

 

“There’s no time,” cut in Sirius, reaching to the other old woman who was stirring and begging at her to start speaking, “This one kept repeating you need to stop them, you need to stop them, they’re going after You-Know-Who.”

 

 

 

“I’ll go with you,” said Kingsley, nodding to Lorna and Sturgis who readily agreed, “We’ll follow you.”

 

 

 

“Do you have a plan?” insisted Mad-Eye, grabbing Lupin by the sleeve of his shirt, “Do you have a place to even start? If they’re out there to find You-Know-Who you will need to be damn sure-”

 

 

 

“There is no time!” shouted Lupin, “They know something but this one’s unconscious and the other is clearly tongue-tied-”

 

 

 

“Then we lift the curse!” called Emmaline, rushing forward with a bag of viles, “Move aside Sirius! I am a healer and-”

 

 

 

“No one leaves!” shouted Mad-Eye pointing his wand at Lupin who had shaken him off, “If they have friends who have gone after You-Know-Who then there is nothing we can do if we don’t know how to intercept! Stay put till we can get some answers-”

 

 

 

“This one is badly injured,” muttered Mrs Weasley, as she tended to the unconscious woman, “See this cut here?” She pointed to the neck of the woman where a dark, vicious wound was oozing and smoking, “This is dark magic-”

 

 

 

Harry moved closer to the unconscious woman, desperate to recognise.   She was old; her skin wrinkled and body frail. She lay like a limp ragdoll in oversized plain robes, blood running and dripping from a multitude of cuts over her face and partially exposed arms. Bruises were blossoming on her cheeks and lips. She looked like she’d been beaten repeatedly.

 

 

 

He looked over at the other woman who was vaguely lucid; her eyes were rolling in their sockets as she mumbled and gurgled. She wore the same plain robes, her aged body crumpled in a half heap on the floor as Sirius begged and pleaded with her.

 

 

 

“Who are you?” urged Andromeda, moving from the unconscious woman to allow Lorna and McGonagall through to assist, “Who sent you?”

 

 

 

The old woman looked up, her eye was bleeding and she seemed to understand what was being asked. She babbled something before lifting a weak arm to Lupin. She made a gesture for him to go as she hiccupped back tears, then looked back to Sirius and gave him a weak shove.

 

 

 

“We must go,” began Sirius, stepping away, “The others can care for her-”

 

 

 

“No, Sirius-”

 

 

 

“It’s clearly us she wants to go!”

 

 

 

“She needs to be calmed and healed,” shot Mrs Weasley, interrupting any other conversation. She was busily bandaging the many wounds on the unconscious woman and sewing up cuts with her wand, “We cannot be convinced she is aware of anything until-”

 

 

 

“She knows who you are,” cut in Tonks, pulling Sirius back and ushering Lupin over. “Have you met her before, Sirius?”

 

 

 

“Never,” he whispered. He searched the face desperately as the woman babbled, “There’s a familiarity but I can’t put it into words. Please!” He gripped the woman’s hands tightly, “Please! Do you know my wife? My son? Marlene McKinnon?”

 

 

 

The woman babbled, nodding her head and grabbed at her hair. She pulled away from him, standing up and clawing at her hands and face, as though she were trying to get out of her skin.

 

 

 

“She’s not well,” whispered Hermione looking upset, “She’s- she’s-”

 

 

 

“There’s got to be a way we can lift this tongue-tie,” began Emmeline, conjuring books from thin air, “Nothing basic is working-”

 

 

 

They watched her retrieve various viles, passing some over to Mrs Weasley to administer to the unconscious woman, whilst trying to speak soothing words to the other, “Can you tell us your name? Where are you from? Who hurt you?”

 

 

 

The woman gave a panicked sound, continuing to pull at her body.

 

 

 

“We need to get them to St Mungo’s,” said Lorna softly, “Goodness knows what’s happened-”

 

 

 

“Please!” begged Harry, pushing to the front and causing the woman to stop grabbing suddenly. “You know something,” he said, pulling Neville beside him, “Do you know who I am? Who this is?”

 

 

 

The woman nodded, a look of immense heartbreak and happiness mingled in her expression.

 

 

 

“You know about the Memory Box,” he continued, looking to Sirius, “And you know who he is. Please, we want to help!”

 

 

 

The woman began to cry heavily, gasping for air as she started to tear at her throat, and pulling at her tongue as though she could physically unravel it.

 

 

 

“The pendant,” shot Ron suddenly, “Remember what Cassion-”

 

 

 

Hermione was already tearing out the door and up the stairs.

 

 

 

“What about Cassion?” snapped Sirius sharply, “What’s going on?”

 

 

 

“While you were gone,” began Harry, feeling suddenly flustered by his Godfather and Lupin’s piercing stares, “We found that pendant Isabella put a message in for you, that Christmas…”

 

 

 

“What did it say?” demanded Lupin urgently, “Did they give you a clue?”

 

 

 

“Just that he was waiting for you-”

 

 

 

“What did he look like? Is he alive?”

 

 

 

“He was a toddler,” urged Andromeda, standing up to calm Sirius who was beside himself, “And he said that he needed you and to call him back on your return. He said he’s the only one who could help.”

 

 

 

“Let me see it!” called Mad-Eye, grabbing the pendant from Hermione’s hand as she came skidding back into the room. She flinched at the snatch, grumbling to herself as she took up place between Ron and Harry.

 

 

 

Mad-Eye turned it over in his hands, held it up to eye-level and ran his gaze over the surface. “Seems benign…who did you say appeared?”

 

 

 

“Isabella and Cassion-”

 

 

 

“What were they doing?”

 

 

 

“Leaving a Christmas message for Sirius, but-”

 

 

 

“And they looked as you remembered them?”

 

 

 

“Yes, bu-”

 

 

 

“No differences? No departures from their memory?”

 

 

 

“No-”

 

 

 

He glared at the annoyed and impatient looks from everyone in the room. “We shouldn’t be randomly opening objects that we have not yet examined-”

 

 

 

“We’ve NO TIME!” shouted Emmeline, pointed to the conscious woman whose eyes were back to rolling in her head. “She’s barely responsive and minutes away from cardiac arrest. And this one-” she ushered to the unconscious woman, “Has barely a heartbeat. Just open it or we need to move them to St Mungo’s NOW!”

 

 

 

He snorted at Sirius who was dancing on the spot with his hand outstretched. “Fine. But we shouldn’t be-”

 

 

 

Sirius grabbed it and yanked it open; a quiet woosh sounded, but nothing appeared.

 

 

 

“Probably a bloody trap!” growled Mad-Eye, stamping off towards the door before Tonks asked urgently, “Are you sure about this?”

 

 

 

“Yes-”

 

 

 

“Where is he then?” asked Lupin, throwing Harry an accusing look, “I thought you said-?”

 

 

 

“This is why,” began Mad-Eye looking thunderous, “We should use proper precautions-”

 

 

 

“For heavens sake Alastor!” shouted Andromeda, “You’re hardly-”

 

 

 

“We should return outdoors and search,” called McGonagall, snapping her travelling cloak on, “And we get these women to Mungo’s-”

 

 

 

“But he said,” began Harry desperately, looking to Ron who just shrugged, “We were to-”

 

 

 

“And what if it was a trap?” snarled Mad-Eye, “I suppose you confirmed your identity did you? I suppose you promised you’d open this pendant which could easily be some tracking device at a particular time-”

 

 

 

“It isn’t-”

 

 

 

“We cannot be sure,” cut in Kingsley, his soothing voice cutting over the din. “I suggest we move immediately-”

 

 

 

“It’ll be alright, Harry,” assured Mr Weasley, following Kingsley’s lead, “Don’t worry-”

 

 

 

“SHHHH!”

 

 

 

Everyone snapped around to look at Ginny who was frozen like a deer in the light.

 

 

 

“Ginny?” asked Mrs Weasley sharply, “What-”

 

 

 

“Shhh!” she hissed again, “He’s here, but you must stop shouting!”

 

 

 

Everyone immediately held their positions like statues. After a few seconds a little whimper sounded from an indeterminate point in the room.

 

 

 

“It’s him,” breathed Lupin, before calling out loudly, “Cass! Cass where are you?”

 

 

 

A little cry sounded again, “Want my daddy, Mooney. I’m scared. Find my daddy Mooney-” 

 

 

 

Sirius’ breath caught as he fell to his knees. His face twisted into unspeakable emotion as he called softly, “Cassion?” 

 

 

 

There was a pause as a little shuffle sounded, his voice returning with a little more confidence, “Is that you, daddy?”

 

 

 

Sirius’ voice caught, “Yes, mucker, it’s me. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

 

 

 

There was bated breath as everyone stood back in a mis-shaped circle around Sirius who was searching desperately around with his eyes, “I promise, mucker. Please-”

 

 

 

“Everyone’s shouting. Are you cross?”

 

 

 

“No of course I’m not. Come out, I’m here.”

 

 

 

“It’s too late.”

 

 

 

“It isn’t. I promise. Let me see you-”

 

 

 

He gave a sort of choked laugh as a little figure appeared from behind the curtain. Cassion was still only a weak projection, but the smile that burst from his face as he ran to Sirius was enough to draw even a cough of feeling from Mad-Eye himself. Though nothing to a real reunion, it would be enough for everyone to keep forever as a happy ending.

 

 

 

Cassion threw himself across the room, clambering over his father as though a solid creature, Sirius holding him tightly, though his arms going straight through him.

 

 

 

“I was waiting!” shrieked Cassion gleefully, pride rippling through his tone, “I waited and waited and waited!”

 

 

 

“I’ve been waiting, too mucker,” croaked Sirius, “Waiting a long time.”

 

 

 

“Wolfie was scared,” crowed Cassion, “But I was NEVER!”

 

 

 

“Because you’re so brave,” said Lupin softly, crouching down to smile tearfully at the little figure grabbing and pulling at Sirius, “Wolfie is always safe with you.”

 

 

 

Cassion giggled, before pulling back to cup Sirius’ face, “I think I’m too late.”

 

 

 

“What do you mean?”

 

 

 

“Where are they?” 

 

 

 

Sirius pointed at the two women. He looked back at Cassion and asked desperately, “Please, mucker, are you-”

 

 

 

“You must administer the sahati- er, the sahraf- no, the…the…the-”

 

 

 

“Sahitra-mati?” asked Sirius quickly.

 

 

 

“Unh-huuuuuuh!”

 

 

 

“So it is as polyjuice!” muttered Lupin jumping up, “An Eastern-”

 

 

 

“I have to go now,” sighed Cassion, jumping back, “That was my job-”

 

 

 

“Wait, Cass, no-”

 

 

 

“I gots to Daddy,” he said, pulling himself up tall, “I promised. I have to go back to mummy now.”

 

 

 

“You can break the promise!” pleaded Sirius, grabbing at Cassion who began to fade, “Please baby boy, where is mummy? Is she hurt? Is she-”

 

 

 

“I was too late. I gots to go daddy. I wasn’t meant to do anything but tell you. I promised.”

 

 

 

“No-”

 

 

 

“Bye byeeeeeeee.”

 

 

 

And he was gone.

 

 

 

Sirius let out a choke as he clasped at the empty air. “No…”

 

 

 

“Sirius you must administer-”

 

 

 

Lupin yanked him to his feet, dragging him over, “Do you remember?”

 

 

 

Sirius swiped at his face, his body all but hanging from Lupin’s grasp, “I-I don’t-”

 

“There is nothing we can do without their help!” shouted Lupin, “If Cassion and Izzy are alive, this is how we find them!”

 

 

 

“I don’t-”

 

 

 

“No time for DON’TS!” shouted Emmeline, bringing everyone’s attention back to the old women, “They will die-”

 

 

 

“How can he just have-” began Sirius before Lorna called out, “We’re going to lose them!”

 

 

 

Sirius shook himself before nodding. He aimed his wand at the uconscious woman on the sofa before muttering, “Sahitra-mati sahitra mehramba…sahitra-mati sahli matra..”

 

 

 

Nothing happened. Sirius kept repeating the spell, but she remained as still as ever.

 

 

 

“Are you saying it correctly?” demanded Lupin, “It has been years-”

 

 

 

“I am doing it right,” snapped Sirius, looking nettled.

 

 

 

“It may be too late for her,” said Emmeline, starting to administer more potions and checking for a pulse, “Try the other woman.”

 

 

 

Sirius nodded blankly, and cast the spell again at the woman who was half off the couch as she slipped into a subdued trance.

 

 

 

At once she began to convulse suddenly, as though she were about to be sick. Her face began to shake; its shape and structure bubbling into another’s.

 

 

 

“Stand back,” demanded Mad-Eye, “We can’t be sure how this will end.”

 

 

 

They all watched as the old woman collapsed to the ground, a grotesque expression haunting the morphing features. Mad-Eye raised a wand, muttering, “Careful now, no quick moves…”

 

 

 

“Is this normal?” breathed Kingsley, as the old woman writhed in pain, her back arching as she became almost inhuman in shape, “She looks-”

 

 

 

“Eastern transfiguration is more complete than western,” offered Lupin, ushering Fred and George, who had crept forward for a better look back behind him, “The very imprint of a person is altered; their inner identity totally scrambled to make the deception harder to trace.”

 

 

 

“Dear God,” whispered Sirius suddenly, as the body on the floor began to calm, a short mane of chestnut hair sweeping over a tired, familiar face. There was a croak of relief, followed by gasps of air as the figure collapsed into an exhausted heap.

 

 

 

“Mary?”

 

 

 

The woman looked up, a look of release and exaltation spreading across her worn out face. She nodded.

 

 

 

“What the hell-” he ran over to her, helping her up, “What are you doing? What’s going on? What-”

 

 

 

“Sirius-” cut in Mad-Eye, pulling him back, “She still can’t talk and is clearly addled.”

 

 

 

“Mary?” broached Andromeda, as the woman began to look panicked and try to communicate, “Take a breath, and calm yourself.”

 

 

 

Mary looked close to tears, pointing to the door, to the woman on the couch; she seemed to be begging to go back outside.

 

 

 

“Mary?” asked Lupin, helping Sirius to let her stand, “Are there others out there?”

 

 

 

She nodded, her limp arm flailing towards the door.

 

 

 

“Are they close?”

 

 

 

She shrugged before a gurgling noise sounded from her lips.

 

 

 

“I’m going to go and try to find them, okay?” She nodded as he turned and called to a few others, the room half emptying as he led them running out of the door.

 

 

 

“It’s okay,” assured Sirius, trying to grab her shoulders as she half fell back to the floor, “Mooney is going to find your friends. They’ll bring them back, just relax.”

 

 

 

Mary nodded, taking in what he said before allowing him to help her to a chair. Once seated her tried again, “What happened to you? Try slowly.”

 

 

 

Hr breath came in raw rasps as she looked at Harry and Neville, clutching her heart.

 

 

 

“A…ahhh….at lass…ffoo-fooowww-found..fa”

 

 

 

“You’ve found us, yes,” pushed Sirius impatiently, “How did you get here? Did you bring the Memory Box?”

 

 

 

“Here,” said Lorna, pushing beside him with a cup of tea, “Get this into you.” She slowly lifted the cup to Mary’s lips as she chuckled, “It’s been years, McDonald. And you look dreadful. You could have just owled us for a catch-up; was all the mystery really necessary?”

 

 

 

Mary smiled, her body tiring with the effort of one sip. She nodded for another before Mrs Weasley said urgently, “Something’s wrong. You need to tell us what happened to this woman.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They all looked up to see the unconscious woman begin to shiver, the sewn up cuts unravelling, the body convulsing. No bubbling or transformation was occurring; the woman appeared to be seizing.

 

 

 

“She’s been cursed,” said Mad-Eye, taking in the old, withering body, “It seems the strain of polyjuice they used is wearing off on it’s own, but some spell is stopping it.”

 

 

 

He looked at Mary who had gone pale, “Your friend here will die unless you can tell us what the hell is going on.”

 

 

 

Mary jumped up, panicking and crying, grabbing the old woman’s hands and moaning. She looked at the others, her face and voice pleading with unknown cries.

 

 

 

“We must do something,” said Andromeda getting distressed, “Emmeline? Can’t you-”

 

 

 

“I don’t want to make it worse,” cried Emmeline, grabbing viles absently from her bag, “What if the spells make her sicker? I don’t know what she’s been through; basic healing hasn’t worked.”

 

 

 

“We’re losing her,” said Mrs Weasley, checking for a pulse, “Get the children out of here, they can’t see-”

 

 

 

“HEY!”

 

 

 

Mary had jumped up and grabbed Harry in a deadlock around his neck; everyone froze, looking terrified.

 

 

 

“Mary,” said Sirius, his voice dangerous, “Let go of Harry.”

 

 

 

She shook her head and backed away, dragging Harry with her using some unknown strength.

 

 

 

“Let the boy go”, growled Mad-Eye, as the rest of the room raised wands, “Whatever it is you want to do, it won’t help your friend.”

 

 

 

Marry shook her head violently and grabbed at her pocket, fishing out a small piece of cut glass.

 

 

 

“Mary-NO” shouted Sirius, “Don’t you dare lay a finger on him!”

 

 

 

“Mary, please!” begged Lorna, shrieking as Mary drew up the glass and made a small cut Harry’s neck.

 

 

 

They all lunged for her before Ginny shouted out, “LOOK!”

 

 

 

The unconscious woman began to glow, a dormant power humming through her body. She seemed to relax, the effects of the curse rippling off her body.

 

 

 

“What in the hell,” began Ron before Mary shrieked again and aimed to re-pierce Harry.

 

 

 

“You cannot hurt the boy to save your friend!” shouted Mad-Eye, “There must be another way-”

 

 

 

But as she swiped again, with a force meant to harm, a light shot from the woman on the couch, knocking the glass straight from her hand.

 

 

 

The woman’s face began to bubble, her body writhing in agony. “I don’t understand,” begged Harry to Mary as she ran for the glass, “How does hurting me-”

 

 

 

Sirius made a grab for Mary but she hit him hard in the face. He fell back in surprise, knocking into Neville who tripped forward, hitting the floor.

 

 

 

As Mary lunged at him, striking down with the glass, Mad-Eye shot a spell at her, causing her to slam two feet back into a wall.

 

 

 

“What-” began Neville, brushing a small drop of blood from his hand, “I don’t understand-”

 

 

 

“The Maternai Practahto”, whispered Sirius suddenly, his voice catching. He ran to the unconscious woman, who was shimmering gold now, trickles of bright light lilting off her and towards Neville and Harry.

 

 

 

“It’s the Maternai Practahto.”

 

 

 

As he grabbed at his hair, looking panicked he turned to Mary, “Who is it? WHO IS IT?”

 

 

 

Mary was crying now, grabbing at her lips, willing her to speak.

 

 

 

“What. Is. Going. ON?” demanded Mad-Eye before Sirius whispered, “The Eastern shield that protects the wearer from any harm, for the sole pursuit of the protection of another.”

 

 

 

As Harry reached to his neck to feel the cut, he was stunned to feel it already healing over. He looked to Neville who had his hand held out for everyone to see; the soft gold smoke was weaving closed the tiny wound.

 

 

 

Realisation hit the room like a forcefield. 

 

 

 

“The shield the four girls wore the night they moved Neville?” asked Tonks at once, staring dumbfounded at the woman whose face was morphing.

 

 

 

“Attacking Harry and Neville is bringing her back to life,” said Hermione before she gasped in delight. “Healing her so she can protect them! That means-”

 

 

 

As the woman’s face began to take the shape of a familiar and much loved figure, Sirius reached out and picked up the shimmering vile that hung around her neck, 

 

“It means one of our girls is finally home.”

 

  

It took Harry a few seconds to believe what he was seeing. 

 

 

His body was operating on pure adrenaline, each breath coming in short noisy bursts to the staccato beat of his thumping heart.   Everyone around him exploded in a flurry of movement and noise; shouting, embracing, laughing and crying. He could feel the same mixed-bag of emotion bursting through his veins, threatening to explode into tears and cries of exaltation as the dawning comprehension of just who it was that was taking shape on the sofa became apparent before his eyes. 

 

 

 

He almost couldn’t breathe. 

 

 

 

Despite the long hair that was forming in glossy folds, his mind remained blank with shock; he could barely hear Sirius’s half-laugh-half-cry at the woman bursting with unbridled happiness as he begged her to speak.

 

 

 

“Can you hear me? My God – I can’t believe-”

 

 

 

Andromeda went to Mary and drew her into a hug, looking over at the others as she cried freely. Hermione and Ginny welled up as their hands flew to their mouths to stifle girlish shrieks. Tonks was grinning maniacally as she grabbed the twins by their shoulders, pointing silently at the new arrival and dancing on the spot. 

 

 

 

Ron gave Harry a pat on the back and managed a gruff, “I can’t believe it-” before Hermione rushed over and grabbed them both in an emotional embrace. 

 

 

 

He could only manage a smile in reply as he nodded thanks to his two friends, before his eyes searched for the only other person who could truly understand.

 

 

 

Neville was standing a few feet back, cautiously watching the scene as though merely a spectator, not a character. His expression remained stoic through the cries and shouts of the others, though Harry was sure he could see him smile on the inside. He reached out to pat his shoulder in comfort before he jerked back, his happiness invaded rudely by a sharp call from Emmeline.

 

 

 

“She’s stopped breathing-”

 

 

 

“What-”

 

 

 

“Sirius, get BACK!” shouted Mrs Weasley, pushing him aside as she and Lorna began to strip the pillows and blankets back from around the woman.

 

 

 

He began to panic, yelling for Emmeline to do something. Mary had broken away from Andromeda, her cries tumbling out in an unknown language, anguish radiating from her pleading eyes. She ran to the sofa, her body blocked by the other women who made up the crowded wall around the figure.   Mrs Weasley was pushing Neville back with one arm as she and Emmeline took turns barking out resuscitation moves, calling for Ron and Hermione to grab Harry who was determined to get closer.

 

 

 

He saw the woman convulse, her features stretch across her face in a sickening twist of pain. He felt Mad-Eye yank him by the scruff of the neck and push him towards the fireplace.

 

 

 

“Stay back, Potter!” he shouted angrily, whilst throwing a patronus out the door, “It will do you no good-”

 

 

 

 

 

“Please! You must-”

 

 

 

“No-” Sirius fell back into Harry and Ron, his hands grabbing at his face and hair as he mouthed soundlessly at the chaos unfolding. “Someone help her-”

 

 

 

“DORA!” shouted Andromeda, breaking free of her team and gesturing sharply at Sirius, “Go and fetch Remus – we need him here – he can help!”

 

 

 

“It’ll be okay,” muttered Hermione as she blankly patted Sirius’ arm, her eyes following Tonks all but fly from the room and out into the night. She looked to Harry in desperation only he dare not say anything for fear his whole being would unravel.

 

 

 

Sirius was shaking, both hands reaching to cover his mouth in shock. He began to pace madly, a barely contained terror and helplessness building with each step.

Everyone seemed to be nudging Harry and Neville further away, almost shielding them from the tragedy unfolding in the other half of the room. The wild conjuring of potions and remedies combined with frantic sewing up of unravelling wounds; the violent magical and muggle resuscitation methods causing the onlookers to hold themselves in visual sympathy; the soundless cries as they watched a stranger – but still somehow a friend – slip away before their eyes. As Harry’s body began to give way to his internal horror in involuntary heaves and gulps for air, Mad-Eye called out to him and Neville, “You two – over here!”

 

 

 

Ignoring his lack of invitation, Sirius reached her a stride ahead of them both, his body almost retracting in shock as he took in the figure. Her face looked like melted wax, her hair all but disappeared. He looked up at Harry who almost dry wrenched in shock – he didn’t even recognise…

 

 

 

“Talk to her,” instructed Mad-Eye, as Sirius knelt beside her and took her hand, “Tell her you’re here-she may respond-”

 

 

 

Neville could only manage a stutter as he stood at the arm just by her head; he looked at her face and shook his head numbly. Harry could only reach out a recoiling hand, whispering, “Hello…?”

 

 

 

“She can’t hear,” spat Emmeline, trying to push Sirius back, “They shouldn’t be seeing this -”

 

 

 

“The vile!” hissed Hermione suddenly, “Remember, in the memory-hold it – she can hear-”

 

 

 

Neville beat him to it. In one quick snatch he grabbed the vile; he gasped as though all the wind had been knocked out of him. Harry turned to his friends in shock, desperately searching their faces for help.

 

 

 

He turned back and watched the vile smoking gold from Neville’s fist. Without thinking, he put his hand over his friend’s, his mind screaming, please please…

 

 

 

He felt it all at once. The loud shrieks of Rahjah, the voices echoing in panic:

 

 

 

Hold on! Help her – just don’t let go-

 

 

 

She will make it; you just have to hold on-

 

 

 

Please babies, just hold tight; she will make it, she just needs you near-

 

 

 

Amidst these cries, echoing and dreamlike, a newer voice entered. Deeper, almost familiar –

 

 

 

DO NOT LET GO

 

 

 

Neville turned to Harry with a questioning look, “Who-?”

 

 

 

I just need more time –

 

 

 

Harry just shrugged, his eyes flying over nothing, searching for the answer.

 

 

 

She’s been hurt badly but I had to go – the plan –

 

 

 

Who are you?

 

 

 

Just help her – please – I will be back soon – tell her I’m sorry but I had to go-

 

 

 

Harry took a deep breath and scrunched his eyes shut, shouting loudly in his head –

 

 

 

What happened?

 

 

 

But the voice disappeared, swimming away into the depths of Rahjah’s cries.

 

 

 

As the seconds passed, his mind spinning wildly behind his scrunched eyelids, he became aware of the even gasping from the figure on the couch. 

 

 

 

“Just keep it steady,” came Andromeda’s voice from far away, soothing and encouraging, “You’re doing it…”

 

 

 

“She’s coming round-”

 

 

 

“Sirius, move back-”

 

 

 

“She’s healing, easy does it lads-”

 

 

 

“Just keep breathing…”

 

 

 

As Harry forced open his eyes, a small choke of relief escaped his lips.

 

 

 

The bubbling had all but stopped and the body now rose and fell to a calm and rhythmic beat. The torn aside robes settled over a slender frame, the many cuts and bruises healing with a methodical elegance. Long waves of hair fell over the half blinking eyes, the lips slowly moving over some catty remark… 

 

 

 

“Marls,” whispered Sirius, “Marls? It’s Sirius. Can you hear me?”

 

 

 

Her eyes fluttered, a groan escaping quietly.

 

 

 

“McKinnon?” He looked up at Emmeline as he reached over for her other hand, “Is she going to be alright? Her brain hasn’t been affected, has it? My God, she’s not addled is she?”

 

 

 

“Bugger off I’m addled,” croaked Marlene, blinking her eyes open, “And get the hell off me Black before I have you arrested for indecency.”

 

 

 

Sirius crowed with delight as he jumped up to let her move. He grabbed Harry in a half hug as the atmosphere in the room changed quickly and dramatically.  Mary ran to Marlene, all but throwing herself on her, garbling wildly as Emmeline – wiping back a tear – ushered her to be gentle.

 

 

 

“I th-th-…I..th” struggled Mary, “I-”

 

 

 

“My wand,” Marlene croaked, trying to get up, “She needs the shield lifted-”

 

 

 

Mrs Weasley and Lorna carefully helped her to sit, her body wavering with exhaustion, wincing with pain at every movement.

 

 

 

“Here,” and Marlene lifted her wand slowly from beneath her robes, speaking an unknown spell sprinkled with mutterings of the unknown. “There you are.” She looked up at the others, her eyes struggling to fix their focus, “One of Izzy’s old shields; protected her from harm by making her look worse than she was.”

 

 

 

“I was so worried,” cried Mary, “I thought-”

 

 

 

“But we’re not.” She grinned before flinching again, “Good lord help me to stand; I need to move. Being a bloomin’ old woman for days has left its mark. And my kingdom for a cup of tea - be a lamb someone and add a healthy nip.”

 

 

 

Mad-Eye gave a snort as he retrieved a hipflask from his pocket, generously splashing an amber liquid into a teacup. He held it out as the women helped her to stand, allowing her to stretch her neck for a moment before taking a healthy gulp. “There now…”

 

 

 

As she steadied herself on wobbly legs, she looked eagerly around the room, spotting Neville and Harry with a cry of relief.

 

 

 

“Careful,” warned Andromeda as Emmeline grabbed her about the waist, “You almost died there Marlene, you need to lie down.”

 

 

 

“I am fine Andromeda,” insisted Marlene impatiently, trying to brush off Lorna and Emmeline who were determined she only move what was necessary. “Honestly hens-”

 

 

 

“Hold it.” Mad-Eye drew his wand sharply, pointing it directly at her nose as she moved to reach for Neville. “If you are who you say you are-”

 

 

 

Marlene did her signature eye roll and cut him off, replying in a testy voice, “I am Marlene McKinnon. My bloody patronus is a peacock, I hate jam, can’t stand peas and have always been of the general opinion these questions were utter waffle-”

 

 

 

“Alright,” growled Mad-Eye in response, gritting his teeth as she added snappishly, “-and I’m godmother to Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter, both of whom I’ve battled hell and high sodding water to get through so if you don’t mind?”

 

 

 

She gave him a derisive look before her eyes found Neville then Harry. The danced and glistened as she broke into a soft smile, “My darling godsons. I’ve only been able to see you in pictures and afar. How I have dreamt of this moment!”

 

 

 

She held out her arms and grabbed Neville first, her hands cradling his head. She choked for a moment, her hands grabbing around his back as she struggled on weak legs before taking a step back, her hands cupping his face. “My goodness you’re a good looking boy. Built like Franko but with the gentleness of my dearest Chambers.” 

 

 

 

Neville smiled, giving a small shrug, “Er- nice to meet you…”

 

 

 

Marlene gave a heavy sigh, “Breaks my heart that it seems we’re only just meeting. I should have been here…are you alright? That nasty vulture of a woman not crushed your soul yet?”

 

 

 

Neville gave a small laugh before cautiously responding, “Nah…I’m okay. She’s not so bad really…”

 

 

 

Marlene raised an eyebrow, “She used to scare the cockles off me. Her and that mangy hat. Hideous woman – still got that shriek of a voice?”

 

 

 

Neville grinned, warming to her. “Yeah.”

 

 

 

Marlene nodded and gave a wry smile, “For having to live with that creature with no refuge, I will never forgive myself. But I’m here now…”

 

 

 

She gave him another hug, her eyes shining as she found Harry. She released him before saying tenderly, “And there is my other boy.”

 

 

 

She reached out grabbed him in a rip-cracking hug which he returned whole heartedly. She held him for a long moment before stepping back, “And you…didn’t you just grow into a mini James? And those eyes.” She welled up for a moment before whispering, “Proof that our beloved Evans lives on.”

 

 

 

They grinned at one another before she asked lightly, “How’s dear Petunia? Still looking like the boney arse-end of a horse?”

 

 

 

Mrs Weasley gave a disapproving tut as Marlene’s eyes flashed mischievously, “I bet she is, the stupid cow.” Harry burst out laughing as she continued, a smirk on her face, “Bet the husband is still a raging fitty as well. But you turned out just fine – quite the talent for spotting adventure I hear?”

 

 

 

“Trouble more like,” muttered Mad-Eye as Marlene waved a hand to shoosh him, “Nonsense. He’s still in one piece; old Potter’s son was never destined to be a swatty goody two-shoes. And anyway, I’m sure the internal beacon of truth and propriety that Evans compassed unwaveringly still swims residually through his veins!”

 

 

 

She grabbed both boys again, an arm around each murmuring, “I am so sorry I was not here to take care of you both. We’d have made such a fabulous little family; had a scream of a time. If I had known before – well. I’m here now and I won’t be leaving either of you ever again.”

 

 

 

She gave a small laugh through her happy tears as she glanced at Mary, “This moment has made it all worth it. The secrecy, the battles, everything.”

 

 

 

Mary nodded through the busy healing from Mrs Weasley and Emmeline on the collection of bruises and ailments on her body. Marlene gave another sigh – contented this time - before glancing up at Sirius who was looking nervous, though still somewhat staring flat out at her as though he’d just seen someone sprout three extra heads.

 

 

 

“And you.”

 

 

 

He gave a shrug as she released the boys and stood hands on hips. “This moment is one I’ve also dreamt of. The things you must answer for.”

 

 

 

They stared at one another a moment, the air charged with electricity. For the first time, Sirius looked uneasy. He seemed to be mentally bracing himself for the shame he would soon feel. For the accusations he must

answer to. She gave a derisive snort before remarking, “But first things first. Black: you look bloody dreadful. The years have not been kind. Still living at home looking like a man of fifty; no wonder you’re still single. No woman in her right mind would have you – mind, I’ve always said this. How you managed to snag a girl like our Izzy I’ll never know.”

 

 

 

He burst into laughter as he grabbed her in a wild hug, “Jesus McKinnon, fourteen years and still that mouth!”

 

 

 

She cackled loudly as they danced on the spot, hugging and laughing. They took a step back and sized one another up.

 

 

 

“You look haggard, woman,” Sirius smirked, laughter dancing on his lips. “No wedding ring I see. Never managed to find someone who’d have you?”

 

 

 

“Bugger OFF Black! I’ve had several suitors I’ll have you know. But the life of the old ball-and-chain was never for me-”

 

 

 

“Never the girl to take home to mother!”

 

 

 

“Oh still charming as ever, you are-”

 

 

 

“Ha! You-”

 

 

 

He was interrupted by a crash from the front door, voices shouting and screaming.

 

 

 

Everyone sprung to defend, grabbing the younger ones back and reaching for wands. Though weak and still quite pale, Marlene reached Harry and Neville in barely a stride and pulling them to the ground with an unknown strength, shielding and holding them with a fury of a lioness.

 

 

 

“Tonks-” shouted a voice, “She said-”

 

 

 

“Mooney!”

 

 

 

Sirius hurdled over the group and grabbed his friend in a ferocious hug. His voice was full of unbridled happiness and laughter, juxtaposed against the gasps of relief and hands flying to hearts. His eyes shined with a joy Harry had never seen in them before as he garbled, “You won’t – she’s here – she-”

 

 

 

Lupin stood blank, his face wiped of emotion as he simply stared at the woman unfolding herself from her protective hold. As she stood slowly, a look of apprehension on her face, nobody seemed to breathe.

 

 

 

“I don’t believe it.” His voice was flat. Toneless. “I – I saw you- that night – the battle -”

 

 

 

As he struggled, a small smile lingered on her lips as she carelessly pulled rogue strands of hair from her face. She seemed to pause as she drank in his features before the full-watt smile everyone had come to know spread without fear across her face.

 

 

 

“Reems-”

 

 

 

She broke free of the group and ran to him, all cries and shrieks as she fell on him, grabbing at every inch in happiness.

 

 

 

“Oh you look dreadful but still just as – your smell, your clothes – just as I remember - oh how I have MISSED YOU-”

 

 

 

As she pulled back, his dumbfounded expression met her questioning look.

 

 

 

“For heavens sake Reems-”

 

 

 

He just stood.

 

 

 

“After fourteen sodding years I don’t even get a hello?”

 

 

 

He gaped soundlessly like a goldfish as she rolled her eyes and gave a bored sigh.

 

 

 

“Yes I’m well thank-you, if you don’t count the fact I almost just died. And you? No, never finished that novel. I return to it here and there, but I’ve never quite gotten that inspiration. That je nais se qua as one would say. How’s your career in academia treating you? No, never married – couldn’t find anyone to put up with me…”

 

 

 

She trailed off, giving him a pointed stare to which he returned by simply staring at her as though he were a statue, before blurting, “Where in – what has – where the bloody hell did you come from?”

 

 

 

She threw her head back and shrieked, “He still SPEAKS!” before dancing about, Sirius getting involved in her on-the-spot two step. She shook her head as she dabbed at an emotional tear, “I’m sure Cassion must have filled you in-”

 

 

 

There was a clanging silence. Hands rushed to open mouths, hands to hearts but nobody breathed before Sirius whispered, “What?”

 

 

 

Marlene looked momentarily puzzled before frowning and for the first time it seemed, looking around the room. As she slowly did a mental headcount a quiet fear seemed to grip her face. “But he was-”

 

 

 

“Cassion? He-?”

 

 

 

Sirius all but collapsed on the spot, his breathing coming in sharp stings as he fell back towards the sofa, “You mean he’s – I had hoped, but to hear-”

 

 

 

“Marlene what the bloody effing hell is GOING ON?” 

 

 

 

Lupin’s shouting took everyone by surprise; Marlene tensed and stuck a defensive pose, “Don’t you DARE shout at me Remus Lupin-”

 

 

 

“We find you and McDonald transfigured as the bloody ELDERLY, bloodied and bruised on the high road by a post box in the middle of King’s EFFING CROSS after being MI-sodding A for fourteen years, believed DEAD – this lot had to resuscitate you and merely minutes later you’re flouncing about giggling and dancing, casually calling for Padfoot’s similarly declared deceased SON-” 

 

 

 

“Where is he?” demanded Sirius, his face pale, “You tell me where my son is-”

 

 

 

“You mean he-? He’s not here-?”

 

 

 

Mary gave a gasp as she swatted the healing wands away and jumped up to stand by Marlene. She looked to her friend who began to flap on the spot, a jumble of ‘Oh GOD’s’ and cursing falling out of her mouth.

 

 

 

“MARLENE!” shouted Lupin, “You need to EXPLAIN-”

 

 

 

“Everyone just calm down,” began Mad-Eye but Lupin continued to shout. He was full stride, breaking into a manic pace around the room, waving his hands and shouting wildly, his ability to position the last few minutes into some sort of logical framework completely escaping him.

 

 

 

Harry couldn’t help but think this was unprecedented as he watched his former professor grapple madly to regain some sort of reason and sense into what was happening.

 

 

 

“My son-” repeated Sirius, grabbing Marlene in a rigid hold, “Where is MY SON-”

 

 

 

Marlene seemed to back away, all eyes swivelling to watch as she mouthed soundlessly over words, her hands twisting around each other in a building tension.

 

 

 

“Marlene, now is not the time for theatric pauses-”

 

 

 

She looked up, her eyes terrified, “He was supposed to be here. He’s been installed here these past few days. He has to have been, to tell you how to lift the spell…”

 

 

 

“He was, sort of,” interrupted Harry, all eyes flinging to him like he was about to volley a tennis ball to his opponent. He shrugged, “The memory, from the charm…remember?”

 

 

 

“What charm?” demanded Marlene as Andromeda cut in, “The memory charm Izzy got for Sirius one Christmas long ago. He was a little boy.”

 

 

 

“Oh God.”

 

 

 

Marlene looked at Mary who appeared frightened. She bit down hard on her lip as she whispered, “I think he went-”

 

 

 

“Went WHERE?” begged Sirius, summoning his cloak and preparing to leave, “You tell me WHERE HE IS so I can go and get him-”

 

 

 

Marlene hesitated, looking to Harry and Neville with a sorrowful look.

 

 

 

“After Pettigrew.”

 

 

 

“EXPLAIN!” shouted Lupin.

 

 

 

Marlene gave way to a mad panic as she flapped at her face, a look of physical sickness coming in waves across her expression. “Someone get the Memory Box – quick-”

 

 

 

As Tonks ran to fetch it, she began muttering madly, “That was the plan. He was to stay put here till we – he was safe. Mary and I were to guard and defend whilst-”

 

 

 

“Here-”

 

 

 

Tonks all but threw the Memory Box into Marlene’s waiting arms. She ran to the small table and set it up, the box whirring to life in the same position it had held with grandeur and a captive audience not even 72 hours earlier.

 

 

 

She commanded it with ease, her wand spinning wildly as it obeyed her shouts to open and project, her lips rushing over various commands to show her Cassion.

 

 

 

“Please-” Sirius had a look of pure desperation as he grabbed at her. She barely responded, preferring to bat him away with an impatient, “I am TRYING to find him Sirius!”

 

 

 

There was a building tension in the silence that followed the flickering projection taking shape on the loungeroom wall. Marlene tugged at the vile hanging loosely around her neck growling, “You get BACK HERE Cassion Black or so help me-”

 

 

 

The frame refused to budge, preferring to simply tease with a sea of dark shapes and echoes. Marlene turned to throw a terrified look at Mary, before a scene suddenly appeared as though someone had flicked the power button.

 

 

 

It was a grassy moor, much like those that cradled the great walls of Hogwarts. It was the dead of night, a shimmering moon shining through the veils of tall trees much like it did the curtains of the loungeroom where they stood, that bathed in its same light.

 

 

 

“Is this-” struggled Mad-Eye, clomping over to Marlene and leaning in to squint, as though trying to get a better look, “Is this thing real time?”

 

 

 

“Almost,” she whispered, her whole body seemingly joining the frenzied search of her eyes, desperate to see something in the scene. “Delayed by only moments.”

 

 

 

The silence seemed to stretch on forever before there was a quite snap of a twig.

 

 

 

Sirius grabbed at Marlene and Lupin, seemingly unable to breathe.

 

 

 

A figure stepped out of a light brush, crouched and stalking, slowly making its way towards an open area.

 

 

 

“Is that-?” whimpered Andromeda, coming to stand beside Marlene, “Is that-?”

 

 

 

She simply nodded.

 

 

 

His face was concealed by a makeshift scarf that was wrapped around his head and upper body, middle-eastern in fashion. He was tall but moved with a certain elegance, his frame gliding soundlessly through the night.

 

 

 

They watched him as he moved, Sirius’s panicked voice providing a foreboding soundtrack…

 

 

 

“If he’s gone after Wormtail, we need to go after him. He could be walking into a pit of death-eaters…he’s still a child…”

 

 

 

Marlene seemed to barely respond, her face pale and drawn as she gripped her vile anxiously.

 

 

 

“We have to stop him-how could you have let -”

 

 

 

“You don’t think we tried?” hissed Marlene, her voice dangerous. “You don’t think I’m as terrified as you? That’s by Godson-”

 

 

 

“My SON-”

 

 

 

A flurry of movement interrupted them from far off into the frame causing the figure of Cassion to drop instantly to the ground. He stayed still for a beat before his head seemed to follow another figure in the distance scurry away in a scuttle.

 

 

 

Like a predatory lion he began to stalk once more, building up his speed into a run. As he gained stride on his prey, he drew a wand and fired a spell. With a terrified squeak the figure ahead tripped and fell to their knees, Cassion slowing to give them way to see him.

 

 

 

The portly figure squealed and scrambled into another run, heading flat out ahead into an open field. As he approached the centre, another spell was fired causing them to tumble into a heavy, panting heap. They pawed at the ground, stuttering, “Who-who-who are you? I d-d-don’t know anything – you’re wasting y-y-your time-”

 

 

 

Cassion said nothing, preferring to keep his distance a few yards back as he began to circle like a vulture, allowing the memory frame to bring the victim’s face into focus.

 

 

 

Peter Pettigrew looked terrified. Pure fear streamed from his dribbling nose he swiped blindly at, his beady eyes trying frenziedly to train themselves into recognition at his attacker. He warbled again, desperation trickling from his pleas, “Why h-h-have you been following me? Wha-at do you want with me?  I-I-I can give you whatever you want.”

 

 

 

This drew a derisive snort from Cassion, his masked face all but throwing a sinister glare. He stopped his stalking and sized up the small man, both arms flexing out, his right hand flicking a wand dangerously.

 

 

 

“Who-wh-who are you?”

 

 

 

“Who am I?

 

 

 

His voice was deep and Harry suddenly recognised it from the vile. He shared a fleeting look with Neville before his eyes snapped back to Pettigrew who whimpered, “Wh-wh-whatever you want, I- I-I can get for you.”

 

 

 

“Oh no you can’t.”

 

 

 

Pettigrew looked bewildered; it was as though he couldn’t imagine being in a position unable to trade whatever was needed.

 

 

 

Cassion growled and aimed his wand to fire-

 

 

 

With a speed of a more agile man, Pettigrew reacted with a shrill, “Expelliamas!” and roughly caught Cassion’s wand in an awkward movement. He panted heavily before grinning maliciously, “W-w-well I guess I won’t have to try!”

 

 

 

As he clambered to his feet, he gave a relieved little laugh as Cassion seemed to brush off his foolish and hot-headed error with a shrug. An evil smile spread across Pettigrew’s face as he aimed both wands at him, “Show yourself!”

 

 

 

There was a second of silence before Cassion moved slowly to unravel the scarf from his face and body. As he revealed himself, gasps sounded from around the room. 

 

 

 

He looked everything that Harry expected him to. An elegantly handsome face framed by thick black hair. Almost the spitting image of a young Sirius, though echoes of Isabella shone through his cheekbones and icy stare. He stood tall yet probably shorter than his father though every bit of his haughtiness and arrogance was apparent his demeanour.

 

 

 

Pettigrew swore loudly and stumbled back, his hands flying to his own face as he tried to understand the young man before him.

 

 

 

“S-S-Sirius? I don’t know what magic made you- b-but I’ve got your wand-”

 

 

 

Cassion chuckled as he casually ran a hand through his hair, “Come now; you don’t recognise me Uncle Wormtail?”

 

 

 

Pettigrew began to shake as he said, “C-C-Cassion?” He licked his lips, seemingly trying out the word out loud before giving a insincere laugh, “My dear boy you-”

 

 

 

“You asked me what I wanted.” 

 

 

 

It was a statement, not a question.

 

 

 

There was silence as chuckled before saying dangerously, “How about we start with revenge-”

 

 

 

Pettigrew swallowed hard, “I’ve got your wand-”

 

 

 

“You do,” conceded Cassion nodding graciously, his hand gesturing with an arrogance eminent of his father. “However, I don’t believe that changes a damn thing.”

 

 

 

“I can help you-” began Pettigrew weakly before squeaking into silence as Cassion snarled, “Oh really. How altruistic of you Uncle Wormy. However you need do nothing but stand there.”

 

 

 

“I can help you!” shrilled Pettigrew, desperate for a truce, “I – I – I can take you to your father!”

 

 

 

Cassion threw his head back and laughed. A rich, throaty laugh, sprinkled with malice, the sound leaving the hairs on Harry’s arms standing on end. As his head resumed its upright position, there was another gasp – Marlene’s the loudest.

 

 

 

“You silly boy! Don’t you dare! You cannot control-”

 

 

 

Cassions eyes were flashing a deep violet. His face broke into a wicked smile as he whipped both arms up and roared.

 

 

 

“I am HERE because of my father – to seek his REVENGE-”

 

 

 

The ground rumbled from deep within as electric blue fire shot like bullets into the air around Pettigrew. A fierce wind howled, throwing the branches of the spectating trees wildly into their neighbours.  

 

 

 

Pettigrew screamed, his voice drowned out by Cassion whose anger seemed to build with each second.

 

 

 

“You must answer for the betrayal against my parents-”

 

 

 

Pettigrew began to run like a rabbit from a fox hole. Terrified cries and pleas trailing him as Cassion took up pursuit, calling for justice for his parents, James and Lily, Alice and Frank, Lupin and Marlene-

 

 

 

“And most especially-” he whipped his arm up and threw an invisible ball that smashed through the air and hit his prey, causing him to tumble to the ground. As Cassion slowed to a walk, his face flushed and his eyes bright purple, he growled, “Most especially for Neville and Harry. At least I grew up with my-”

 

 

 

His head snapped up at a collection of shouts calling from the distance. He whipped his head around, jerkily like a squirrel before Pettigrew gave of a high pitched giggle, “N-not so brave now are you? They – they – they’re coming for me! And they’ll get you!”

 

 

 

In a quick movement, Cassion grabbed Pettigrew by the scruff of the neck and dragged him off in a run. Panting and sweating, he pulled the small man like a rag doll through the brush and back towards the open moor.

 

 

 

“Transfigure him and GET YOUR BROOM!” screamed Marlene, grabbing a little too roughly at Neville who stood beside her in her terror. “DO IT!”

 

 

 

“That sort of magic is quite advanced,” wailed Andromeda, “Human transfiguration is-”

 

 

 

“He knows it.” Mary had barely spoken and Harry was taken back by the calmness in her tone. He had expected her to sound much more shrill and wavering. “He’s bright. Was NEWTs level at fourteen.”

 

 

 

“But he’s irrational,” cried Marlene, “Cleverest boy, but never had a shred of genetic chance at holding his temper and thinking rationally!”

 

 

 

They watched as he continued to drag Pettigrew this way and that, his panic radiating from pure adrenaline. Pettigrew struggled; yanking and squirming out of the grip on his wrist. As Cassion paused to take in his surroundings and decide on direction, he almost missed the right hook his prisoner threw at his head.

 

 

 

They struggled for a moment before Cassion yanked back his wand and blew a spell at their joined hands, a shimmering rope weaving them together.

 

 

 

Pettigrew cursed and continued to try to break free. “Escape is useless,” growled Cassion. “Justice will be had-”

 

 

 

He was cut off as a blinding spell shot right at them, hitting a nearby tree and enveloping it into flames. Cassion swore and took off again at a run, foolishly into the open field and leaving himself unprotected.

 

 

 

As Marlene moaned and Sirius grabbed at his clothes hysterically, another spell was shot, this time hitting Cassion in the shoulder and sending him tumbling to the ground.

 

 

 

In seconds, they were surrounded; forming an ascending V shape in front of them, at least three dozen cloaked figures stood with wands raised.

 

 

 

Cassion was breathing hard, his jaw grinding as he counted off his opponents. He stayed still for a moment before snorting arrogantly, yanking purposely on Pettigrew’s chain.

 

 

 

The cloaked figure that stood at the head of the V took a step forward and raised his wand.

 

 

 

“Well, well,” A soft, menacing, posh voice – Malfoy. “Who do we have here?”

 

 

 

“Black’s son!” squealed Pettigrew at once, pulling frantically on his restraints, “His mother was-”

 

 

 

“Masahara,” breathed Malfoy, cocking his head as he took in Cassion who was slowly standing up, his face wincing with pain. “What a prize…”

 

 

 

There was a moment of silence before Malfoy spoke again:

 

 

 

“Ladies and gentleman. May I present Cassion Black. Son of the infamous Sirius Black and Empress of the East, Isabella Masahara. My, my, my. Aren’t you all grown up?”

 

 

 

Cassion spat at the ground and muttered what was clearly an insult in Eastern.

 

 

 

Malfoy chuckled, “Such manners. Your arrogance is clearly hereditary. Tell me young master Black, what are you doing out here all alone with this pleb tied to your wrist?”

 

 

 

“Justice,” growled Cassion. “And revenge.”

 

 

 

Malfoy tutted, “Such bitter words on one so young. And so like your parents – tell me; was that you who conjured those blue flames back there? Made the earth rumble and moan?”

 

 

 

Cassion raised an eyebrow obnoxiously.

 

 

 

Malfoy licked his lips before saying delicately, “So…so inherent of your lovely mother.”

 

 

 

“You let us go quietly, and I won’t burn you alive.”

 

 

 

Malfoy chuckled, “No, I don’t think we’ll be doing that. The Dark Lord would be so disappointed not to have met your acquaintance. He’s been ever so keen to meet with your grandfather dear boy and I believe you may be just the leverage he needs.”

 

 

 

A fleeting look of real panic washed over Cassion before he whipped his hand up and screamed, flames and wind firing from his very body.

 

 

 

The death eaters were momentarily stunned, allowing Cassion to take flight once more, a shrieking Pettigrew behind him.

 

 

 

He ran straight for the brush only to be met with another five cloaked figures conjuring spells and jinxes at him. Using Pettigrew as a shield he dodged them, before throwing more fire back and running the other way.

 

 

 

In the terrifying and sickening minutes that followed, Cassion was met by more death eaters whichever way he turned. He’d made two full circuits around the field, cursing and screaming as he ran blindly like a mouse in a maze. He had various cuts and wounds blossoming on his face and body, his hand chained to Pettigrew almost blue with bruising as the small man never broke stride in getting free. Like a fox in a hunt he began to tire, his movement getting slower, desperation and acceptance swallowing his demeanour.

 

 

 

Sirius had real tears falling down his face as he cried out to his son, begging someone to take him to help. Marlene was screaming as she tugged at the vile, Lupin running panicked hands over and over his face.

 

 

 

Harry felt sick as he watched Cassion, out of breath and exhausted from battle, slowly turn on the spot as at least forty death eaters formed a circle around him, though keeping their distance. This created a threatening omen, as each slowly raised a wand.

 

 

 

“I’m more value to you alive,” snarled Cassion, “And you know it.”

 

 

 

“Oh we won’t kill you, dear boy,” assured Malfoy to a few chuckles from his peers, “But we must do something to ensure you won’t be throwing any more fire around.”

 

 

 

“We need to find him,” pleaded Sirius to anyone who would listen. He looked to Mad-Eye who nodded, “We will use what intelligence we have and call every Order member we can to search-”

 

 

 

People around him started calling and shouting instructions, though Harry couldn’t rip his eyes from the scene. As he was elbowed and bustled around the movement, he watched as Cassion still tried to fight, throwing spells from his body and wand to the milling death eaters who just laughed and defended easily and lazily.

 

 

 

Various people continued to shout at the projected image, whilst Mary held a comforting arm around an openly crying Andromeda. Sirius was frantically running for the door, restrained only by Lupin who was begging him to wait till they could all go. Mad-Eye was instructing Kingsley and Tonks to take the varied collection of wizards and witches in the room to random locations, all the while barking to Sirius to stay put.

 

 

 

The twins and Ron were giving an exchanged and worried commentary on the scene, whilst Hermione was biting on her lip, her head swivelling back and forth from the frame to the people around the room.

 

 

 

Marlene had begun a quiet chant on her knees, holding the vile and calling for someone. Her words were mixed in Eastern and English, something Harry signalled everyone to listen to. As the room gradually quietened, Mary suddenly spoke:

 

 

 

“Will she hear?”

 

 

 

“Who?” demanded Lupin who held Sirius in a stronghold, “Who-?”

 

 

 

Mary ignored her, preferring to drop to her knees by Marlene and beg, “She was on the other side of the country – we agreed no contact and she may ignore us as she didn’t want him to know– I mean she left days ago-”

 

 

 

“WHO?”

 

 

 

Marlene continued to chant, brushing away tears as she called, saying as an aside, “She may already know and she’s the only one who can get to him quicker-she’s never going to forgive me if he gets hurt-”

 

 

 

“She was so far,” cried Mary, shaking her head in helplessness, “So far-”

 

 

 

“I just need a sign-”

 

 

 

And in an instant, Harry felt it.

 

 

 

As though all the wind had been taken from him, a sudden rush of sickening fear penetrated through his very body.

 

 

 

Neville gasped, falling back into the sofa as his arms moved to hold himself. He looked frightened, “Who-who is that?”

 

 

 

Marlene snapped her head up, looking from him to Harry, “What do you feel?”

 

 

 

“Sick,” whispered Harry, a possessed feeling of terror and fear gripping him, “Really sick.”

 

 

 

Marlene looked straight at Mary, “She knows.”

 

 

 

As he felt a frantic internal pull yanking his insides as though a fishing hook had pierced his belly button, he whispered, “She’s already on her way.”

 

 

 

They all looked to the frame to see the circle returning to their V formation, backing a blindly fighting Cassion, into a big oak tree with shrieks and laughter.

 

 

 

“Surrender, dear boy,” soothed Malfoy, once again leading the pack, “Surrender and who knows? Perhaps a long and rewarding career with the dark lord may await you.”

 

 

 

Fear gripped every inch of Cassion’s features as he stumbled his last step backwards, his body roughly rebounding from the tree trunk. He shook his head, and shouted defiantly, “I’d rather DIE.”

 

 

 

This was met by peals of laughter from the death eaters before somewhere in the distance, screams erupted.

 

 

 

Unnerved, Malfoy snapped his head around, ordering a few of his accomplices to investigate. 

 

 

 

“But come STRAIGHT BACK!” he ordered, calling for the others to quieten. He looked only momentarily on edge before turning his attention back to Cassion.

 

 

 

Fortunately, though exhausted, he saw his opportunity for escape. Blasting a stream of fire that took every effort from his adolescent body, he threw flames at the group before taking off in another run.

 

 

 

With a still struggling Pettigrew in tow, Cassion maintained a ten step lead from the masked pack who had become impatient with their cat and mouse game. They fired spell after spell at him, calling angrily for someone to stop him before suddenly the ground began to grumble and shift. 

 

 

 

Mary held her heart as Marlene looked up and whispered, “She’s almost there. Just hold on Cass-”

 

 

 

The rumbled ground caused Cassion to lose his footing and miss dodging a rogue spell that hit him square on the back. He cried out in pain as he fell to the ground.

 

 

 

As everyone in the drawing room shouted, some shielding their faces, Cassion seemed to brace himself at the now fifty strong crowd of death eaters that were quickly descending on him.

 

 

 

They seemed to ignore the distant screams that were growing significantly louder and the wafts of smoke that rose over far off trees as though lingering from a mighty battle. They kept their focus on Cassion, merely manoeuvring their way around the shifting ground.

 

 

 

As they charged like a pack of wolves, Malfoy in the lead an almighty crack of thunder sounded followed by a bolt of white lightening that stuck straight into the ground in front of them.

 

 

 

The smoke barely cleared before a sea of billowing robes and limbs began to move like a hurricane, a roar like a lion coming from within hurtling a stream of violent and wandless spells with malice into the crowd.

 

 

 

There were screeches and yelps as the death eaters ran for cover, the figure in white fighting with a strength of forty men, and with a fury to kill.

 

 

 

As Cassion struggled to stand, preparing to fight the figure threw him back to the ground, shouting for him to stay put.

 

 

 

He obeyed begrudgingly, wincing as the small figure continued to fight, taking on 50 opponents all larger and equally ferocious. In a mere fifteen to twenty seconds, all but a few had fallen, writhing and moaning on the ground cradling wounds and cuts. 

 

 

 

Cassion’s rescuer barely had time take breath before a stampede sounded from the far off trees where more cloaked figures came pouring out like bees from a hive, turning and twisting out into the open trying to find their comrades.

 

 

 

Though he was somewhat expecting it, Harry’s heart still leapt as the figure in white turned to grab Cassion, the robes and scarves falling to reveal a face.

 

 

 

Isabella.

 

 

 

Sirius ran to stand almost nose to nose with the wall, his hands flying over the projected image to his family whom he could not help. His cries fell on their deaf ears, his pleas for them to reveal their whereabouts, unheard.

 

 

 

As Lupin, whose eyes were full of tears pulled him back so they could all see, Harry’s first instinct was to think how much his other godmother hadn’t changed.

 

 

 

Like Marlene, she was definitely older. She also had the same fine lines from years of worry and grief framing eyes that permeated the experience of true sorrow. Though still small, she seemed to have filled out; no longer the attractive and pixie-like teenager flouncing about in short skirts, Isabella had grown into an elegant and beautiful woman.

 

 

 

With real fear in her eyes, she was shouting at Cassion to run only he wouldn’t leave her. She threw a fleeting yet sinister look at Pettigrew who looked as though he may wet himself before glancing back at the oncoming fleet. She seemed to mutter under her breath for a moment before flicking a brief spell at Pettigrew, instantly turning him into a rat. 

 

 

 

“Put him into your pocket and MOVE!” she ordered, pushing him ahead of her.

 

 

 

“I’m sorry!” he pleaded as they ran, weaving in and out of the brush, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry mum-”

 

 

 

“There’s no time for that now,” and she pushed him behind a nearby tree where they waited in silence for breath. As Isabella swiped a section of hair from her eyes she looked up at her son and breathed, “What were you thinking of Cassion? You could have been killed-”

 

 

 

“But I got him-” and he waved the squealing rat at her, “See? Now I just have to take-”

 

 

 

“You will leave him with me and go directly back to Grimmauld Place, do you hear me?”

 

 

 

His eyes hardened as he stowed the rat under his jacket, “No.”

 

 

 

She shook her head, taking a surreptitious look beyond the tree, “I’m not arguing with you about this-” 

 

 

 

“We’ve been in England for WEEKS and you’ve done nothing-”

 

 

 

“Now is NOT the time Cassion-where is your wand?”

 

 

 

“I dropped it-”

 

 

 

She closed her eyes momentarily as she muttered painfully, “You must always look after your wand-” 

 

 

 

“I don’t need it. Stop avoiding the subject. Harry and Neville are SAFE at Grimmauld Place so why can’t we-”

 

 

 

“You’d do well to follow their example-”

 

 

 

“How could I trust you to turn him in?”

 

 

 

Isabella snapped her head round and stared hard at her son, “What?”

 

 

 

Cassion narrowed his eyes, “You heard me. I bet you’d be happy to let Dad rot in a cave somewhere-”

 

 

 

“I’m not going through this again with you-”

 

 

 

“But I’m right!” Cassion’s voice was rising with his temper, resentment splashed over his features, “You would seek revenge for Lily and James but you’d be happy for the truth to stay hidden-”

 

 

 

“Keep your voice down!” Isabella was red with anger now, her eyes flashing dangerously, “Do you have any idea what you’ve just done? What sort of danger we’re in now? And you’re choosing this moment to pick a fight-”

 

 

 

He looked at her, his eyes full of angry tears, “You wouldn’t have done it had I not. You’d be happy if I never saw him again-”

 

 

 

“Cassion, I swear-”

 

 

 

“Just because you-”

 

 

 

“CASSION!” She hissed the last word and grabbed him by both shoulders, steadying him as sparks began to burst from his hands, “Calm down. You’ll-”

 

 

 

“NO!”

 

 

 

As he roughly brushed her off, more sparks flew and ignited a nearby tree in a loud phoomf.

 

 

 

They both stared at it before Cassion whispered, “I’m so sorry mum, I-”

 

 

 

“RUN!”

 

 

 

She grabbed his hand and started to run, swearing under her breath as loud shouting from death eaters sounded from nearby. Isabella threw spell after spell behind her with one hand, whilst uttering protective spells that showered with gold dust over her son. They panted and heaved, Cassion blindly apologising before she pulled him roughly to a stop in a small clearing.

 

 

 

She snapped her round like a rabbit, looking this way and that before she whispered, “There’s no way out.”

 

 

 

“Mum,” Cassion had tears in his eyes, “I’m so sorry-”

 

 

 

“It’s okay-”

 

 

 

He shook his head, his whole body shaking, “If I hadn’t lost the wand we could have apparated-”

 

 

 

As the far off shouting grew louder, she took him roughly by the shoulders again, “I’m going to send you -”

 

 

 

“No! I’ll stay – you need me-”

 

 

 

“You will go and finish what you started.”

 

 

 

He shook his head, swiping at hot tears, “No – you can’t expect me to leave you-”

 

 

 

“I love you baby.”

 

 

 

“No-”

 

 

 

Spells started to fire at them, angry shouts and screams ordering to kill. Isabella pushed him down as she shielded and protected them both, breathing fire and wind at the oncoming curses. In a flash of light Rahjah appeared, circling and singing, his melody scared and worried. She turned and looked at Cassion, mouthing I love you before she flicked her wrist and he disappeared in a flash of light.

 

 

 

She fought bravely, screaming war cries as she defended and ran, jumping and ducking, weaving in and out of the brush. As she rounded again on the open moor, a sinister voice sounded which made the hairs on Harry’s neck stand on end.

 

 

 

Cease fire. I want her alive.

 

 

 

Voldemort.

 

 

 

Isabella slammed to a stop, pure fear ravaging her features. As she glanced around, watching the few death eaters still standing, panting to a stop and lowering their heads to the voice in reverence, she swallowed hard.

 

 

 

Empress. We meet again.

 

 

 

Everyone in the sitting room shuddered, Marlene covering her face as she wept, “Izzy, no, no…”

 

 

 

Isabella took a deep breath before snarling loudly, “You will never break me.”

 

 

 

There was an amused sigh before Voldemort spoke again:

 

 

 

I have broken you once, Empress and I will do it again. 

 

 

 

She shivered in fear, her hands instantly and subconsciously flying to her head as though she could protect her mind from his spells. She glanced around again, preparing to run –

 

 

 

Do not let her escape. I am coming.

 

 

 

The remaining death eaters drew wands and started to approach her. Isabella swallowed hard again before reaching into her pocket and drawing out a vile.

 

 

 

“Nooo!” cried Marlene from the sitting room, “No – you never told me how to lift-”

 

 

 

“What’s she doing?” begged Sirius, shaking Marlene, “What-”

 

 

 

Harry watched as Isabella uncorked a small vile of shimmering red potion. She closed her eyes as though saying a small prayer before gulping it down in one mouthful. She swayed on the spot for a brief moment before all expression and emotion was wiped from her face. An eerie noise sounded – almost a dreamlike phoenix song – as clouds of gold smoke erupted from nowhere and slowly beginning to cocoon her in a transparent nest. As the haunting melody mixed with the worried calls of death eaters, Marlene choked bag a sob as she whispered:

 

 

 

“She’s taken Nadanaram. And I wouldn’t know how to get her back.”