Thanks to Arnel for making me a better writer.
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Manipulations to War | ||||||
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Category: Pre-OotP Characters:Sirius Black Genres: Drama Warnings: Death Story is Complete Rating: R Reviews: 19 Summary: Sequel to Harry's second Christmas. James and Lily are dead, and Sirius, Remus and Anwen are living in the Potter keep with Harry. They want him to have a well balanced childhood, but the need to keep him safe is greater. Sirius is working to unravel where the Potter money went while Anwen wants to discover why they were in Godric's Hollow and not safely in the Potter's home. Hitcount: Story Total: 18898; Chapter Total: 540 Author's Notes: |
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Chapter 20: Puzzle Pieces September 2, 1984 “They are quite odd with one another,” Elisabeth Violette said while watching Harry and Ginny together. “Do they frequently speak this way?” “Yes,” Anwen said. “There are days I don’t know if a single word is spoken aloud between them. It’s particularly troublesome when her brother Ron is here because it infuriates him.” “Have you tested their range?” Perenelle Flamel asked from her charmed mirror. “I know you and Sirius speak silently across the room now.” “We can, but we need to make eye contact.” Anwen sneezed, and a bowl of strawberries appeared on the table in front of her. “No bubbles this time, instead our new little Black bean enjoys strawberries and raspberries. The baby makes me sneeze, and I end up with fruit appearing before me. Peng had better keep the greenhouses producing; I still have five months to go." She took one of the ripe raspberries and popped it in her mouth. At least it was a food she enjoyed eating. "What do you think, a boy or a girl this time?" Anwen's grandmother asked, and Anwen smiled sweetly. “It’s such a different pregnancy than my first, and I'm carrying it lower, so I think it might be a boy. Sirius won’t come out and say it, but I know he wants a son to carry on the family name. While he’d never want his child to inherit the life he’d had growing up, he’s still a man who understands the depth of his family heritage and lineage. He is determined that the name Black will no longer stand for bigotry and hatred but rather something to be proud of.” “Have you been to a seer to find out if your thoughts about your baby are the truth?” Perenelle asked. “No, and I won’t be," Anwen said with a bit of chuckle. “I don’t believe in Divination. If this baby is healthy, we will be happy." At that moment, Sirius came in, nearly doubled over and sort of crab-walking, holding the hands of little Lizzy as she was walking with his aid. When she saw her Mummy and Grand'Mere, she tried to run without her father's aid and fell flat on her face. Sirius immediately picked her up and began to coddle her, even before she'd cried. He spoiled her so severely. Sirius passed the baby off to Grand'Mere, who hugged the child and then began to speak with her, even though most of what Lizzy said was gibberish. “I would test Harry and Ginny for range and see if they can be in different rooms,” Perenelle said. “If they can be, then we will need to find someone who can work with them. I know of an excellent Legilimens who lives in Australia who would make a fine teacher for them.” “You think this is a form of Legilimency or Occlumency?” Sirius asked, quickly picking up on the conversation. “I do,” Perenelle said, “as does Nicholas. To be born with the skill is extraordinary, but to have another person with whom you can communicate is something none of our esteemed colleagues “ living or dead “ has ever seen. What does Albus say about it?” "He doesn't know," Anwen said quietly. Perenelle sighed and opened her mouth to chastise her student, but Grand'Mere spoke first. “Perenelle dear, I wouldn’t castigate Anwen and Sirius for keeping this from him,” she said firmly. “There are extenuating circumstances which you are unaware of. Albus is not someone who can be fully trusted. His mind is not safe.” "I cannot believe anyone was able to penetrate his mind," Perenelle said. "I have known him for over one hundred years, and his mind is one of the most secure." “And yet, someone did manipulate his mind and action, as they did with me,” Anwen said with a touch of defiance. “Perenelle, what was done, it was insidious, and my friends are dead because of it. Please don't press this. I'll do some testing on the kids' range and then mirror you and Nicholas with the results." "Very well," Perenelle said, knowing she was being dismissed. "Do not forget to do your centring exercises to prepare for birth. Goodbye." The mirror went dark, and Anwen was worried about just how offended her friend and teacher were. “You haven’t shared everything with them regarding what is happening here?” Grand’Mere asked over Lizzy’s head. “We aren’t sharing it outside of our group, save you and the portraits," Anwen explained. "I don't even know how to start explaining it. Nicholas confirmed for me that Leta Lestrange was destroyed by fire by Grindelwald. He was apparently there and spoke with the Scamander brothers about what had happened." Sirius walked over to his wife and wrapped her arms around her shoulders from behind. “We will figure out what happened and why. I promise you.” Anwen nodded, but her grandmother saw the doubt in her eyes. *** Anwen, Alice, and Emme were sitting in the living room watching the four little girls”Susan, Ginny, Julie, and Lizzy”having a tea party with their dolls or teddy bears to celebrate Lizzy's first birthday a few weeks after her conversation with her grandmother and Perenelle. They’d already had “real” tea with the grown-ups, although Lizzy had milk and the others very milky tea, and opened presents. Arthur was due to pick up Ginny soon, and Sirius would take Susan to the Ministry daycare to wait until Amelia was finished. Alice and Julie would go home for a few hours before they came back for the family supper. It would include Grammy Mini, the Nighmans, Alice and Frank and their children, Remus and Emme, and the birthday girl and her family. Anwen had invited Walburga, although she’d not replied to the invitation. Their contact with Sirius’ mother had been sporadic, although Anwen always sought to include her. “I can’t believe you’re both pregnant at the same time,” Emme said. “We are, but we’re due almost a month apart,” Alice said. “We could have planned better and had them at the same time.” “Leaving poor Remus to keep both Frank and Sirius from climbing the walls? No, this is better. Do you think your mother-in-law will invite herself into the delivery room again?” “Frank has let her know that we need her to watch Neville and Julie, as we can’t send them to your house,” Alice answered. “I know you would have welcomed them, Anwen, but it gives her something to do that isn’t annoying me.” “Your secret is safe with me,” Anwen said. “What’s bothering you?” Alice asked, and Anwen’s attention was diverted from the girls playing. “Have either of you ever heard of a curse wound reopening, causing pain and bleeding years after the curse was received?” Anwen asked softly. “No, but you’re better with healing spells than I am,” Emme said. “The only scars I usually deal with are Remus’s, which won’t ever heal. Everything else that I’ve ever seen was cured fully by the staff at St. Mungo’s or Madame Pomfrey.” “Anwen, is this about Harry’s scar?” Alice asked, and reluctantly Anwen nodded. "A few nights ago, Harry awoke screaming; his scar was seeping blood. He was sound asleep when it happened, and all he could tell us was that he saw a green light. He hasn’t had nightmares about James and Lily’s deaths in nearly two years or more.” “Did you ask Monty about it?” Alice inquired. “I did, but he’s never heard of such a thing. I wasn’t sure if either of you had come across something in your work. We’re hoping that it was just a nightmare and that maybe he bumped his head or scratched himself while waking up,” Anwen answered, but her answer felt forced. Alice wanted to ask her more, but an exceptionally soft, sweet sound changed her mind. "Mum, Mum, Mum," a little voice caught Anwen's attention, and Ginny was helping Lizzy walk over to her mother. “Listen to you, calling for your Mummy,” Anwen said in reply and lifted her daughter into her lap. “She was starting to throw her teacup,” Ginny said, “so I thought I should bring her to you.” “That was incredibly wise of you; we shouldn't throw things in the house. Thank you, Ginny." “Thank you, Mrs Anwen," the petite redhead said before skipping back to the other girls. The adults on “team Harry’ had settled on Mr or Mrs before their first names as appropriate things for the children to call them. Calling them Aunt or Uncle this or that wasn’t the best choice as they were growing. Neville, however, called Anwen ‘cousin’ and wouldn’t be persuaded not to. He only did it when there was a family gathering, not when all the kids were together for their classes with Remus twice a week. “Looking at the time, I think I need to get Julie home for a quick nap before we come back for dinner. Are you sure you don’t need any help?” Alice asked. “No, Peng and Hindsa have done all the work, Sirius is decorating, and I think he bought out the store on pink and purple streamers, balloons, and the like, and Emme is here if something should arise. I’m quite spoiled by all the assistance.” “What is under the pink cloud in the ballroom?" Emme asked, and Anwen rolled her eyes. “I have no idea, that is a birthday present our little miss is getting from her daddy. Given the size of the playhouse he built in the yard for Harry, I can only sit in wonder about what’s behind that pretty cloud he conjured.” “He certainly takes parenthood seriously,” Emme said without thinking, and they groaned at her unintentional pun. “No, I think the exact opposite is true, he takes parenthood gleefully and with the utmost of enjoyment,” Anwen said happily. *R*R*R*R*R* When everyone was seated at the table, and Sirius brought the birthday girl in. She was dressed like a fairy princess, complete with a crown on her head. The dress was made by Peng and had layer upon layer of glittering gossamer fabric for the skirt, and if Sirius was honest, it made her hard to hold onto. He put her into her highchair and then charmed the dress to repel stains, although Anwen said it wouldn’t be worn outside of playtime in the future. Just as Hindsa was about to send the dishes to the table, Wilken popped in and told Sirius there was another guest at the gates. He looked at Anwen in surprise but stood and went with the elf to greet the arrival. “Mother,” he said when Wilken popped her into the entry hall. “What an unexpected but pleasant surprise.” He kissed her cheek in welcome and then helped her off with her wrap. "Your wife sent me an invitation; I do hope it was earnestly sent," Walburga said stiffly, realizing her son was in jeans and a jumper while she was in a semi-formal set of robes. “Of course, it was,” Sirius replied warmly. “Anwen doesn’t have a duplicitous bone in her body. If you want to know them, we’d like you to see your grandchildren.” “Grandchildren? “Well, Harry and Lizzy plus the new one Anwen’s due to have in February of next year.” Walburga smiled softly, and Sirius realized he couldn’t remember his mother ever smiling so warmly. The only smiles he remembered from her were stiff and forced. "Perhaps it will be a boy to carry on the family name?" “Perhaps,” Sirius said, "although we're more concerned about whether it's healthy. We call it Black bean since we don't know if it's a girl or a boy." Walburga let out a half chuckle, and Sirius found the noise pleasing. “That’s quite adorable, Siri.” He hadn’t heard his mother call him by his nickname since he was a small boy. "Well, the food is ready, and the elves were about to serve when Wilken came to get me, shall we?" he asked, offering her his arm. She accepted it, and he took her to the dining room where a place for her was set to the left of him across from Lizzy, next to Harry. If Walburga was surprised to see the Nighmans and Longbottoms at the table, she didn’t show it, nor did she say anything about dining with a known werewolf. She was thrilled with Lizzy, and Lizzy enjoyed showing off for someone new. Anwen gave up on having Lizzy eat anything about halfway through the meal, as her daughter was far too interested in playing up for the new person. On the third time that Lizzy's bottle ended up on the floor, Anwen took it away until she'd eaten some dinner, and then she'd hold the child to give it to her. "Anwen, if you'd like, I would be willing to give her the bottle," Walburga offered, and Anwen nodded her head. Perhaps the Black family could do some healing and growing like her magical family had. Sirius lifted Lizzy out of her chair and walked her around the table to Walburga, and Lizzy was happy to sit on her lap and take her bottle. “She has your eyes, Siri.” “And my hair,” he remarked. “I can’t imagine if we didn’t have charms to keep it detangled.” “You were the same as a baby. You and Reggie.” “You knew Daddy Siri when he was a baby?” Harry asked in surprise. “I’m your, what did you call him? I’m your Daddy Siri’s mother,” Walburga explained, the name astounding her. “If you’re Daddy’s Siri’s mummy, then you must be my Grandmummy. Just like Grammy and Pappy Nighman and Grammy Mini.” “Since Anwen doesn’t have parents here in the UK, Alice’s parents have affectionately adopted her and, by extension, the children. Minerva is an honorary grandmum to our kids," Sirius explained rather awkwardly. “If you would like to call me Grandmummy, Harry, I would be most honoured,” Walburga said, a slight hitch in her voice. “I hope one day Lizzy and your little Black bean brother or sister will as well.” Harry, quite excited by this development, got out of his seat and went to hug her somewhat stiffly as she was sitting and feeding his sister. Anwen was sure she saw a tear in her mother-in-law’s eye. “I had tea with Louise and Narcissa Malfoy last week,” the older woman said. “Cissy appreciates all that you’ve done for her since Lucius’s predicament came about.” Anwen felt uncomfortable, not entirely sure where Walburga was going with the topic of discussion. “She has filed for divorce. I believe it is for the best. My cousin sold off his daughter to the highest bidder. I never liked the match, and I do hope that she can find some happiness now that she is free of him.” Everyone was stunned into silence by the revelation when the tension was broken by Julie Longbottom. “Mrs Anwen, is it time for cake?” *R*R*R*R*R* A little while later, the cake and presents were finished, and Sirius was about ready to jump out of jeans with excitement. “There’s one more gift for my little princess,” he said, scooping Lizzy off Anwen’s lap and putting her on his shoulders. She liked to ride up high. “Come on, everyone.” The group left the sitting room and headed to the back of the house and to the ballroom. Sirius set Lizzy down on the floor and waited until all were in the room before he flicked his wand and the pink cloud lifted. He’d built her a playhouse, a true two-storey, child-sized house for her to play in. An adult could stand inside in places, but not the centre, as there was a spiral staircase for going up and a slide for coming down intertwined. Lizzy and Julie immediately took off to play and Anwen went in with them to inspect the house. While it had a front door, it was intended for those under three feet tall. Sirius demonstrated how the whole front panel would slide over so adults could join in the fun inside. There was a kitchen complete with dishes, pots and pans, silverware (which was thankfully chunky and blunt), a ‘china’ tea service and food of every imaginable type. There was a refrigerator which had a light and blew cold air at you when you opened it. The stove had a dial so you could decide what you were making. The sink even had ‘water’ that came out of the taps “ strips of fabric in wavy shapes that would exit when turned on and suck back in when turned off. The dining room had a small table and chairs and a crystal-looking chandelier while the sitting room feature a little couch and two wingbacks, just the size for Lizzy and her friends. By the faux fireplace, which had a fire you could turn on and worked like the kitchen taps, there was a basket with a little black dog laying in it. Upstairs, there was a bedroom, complete with miniature bed, a bathroom with a tub/shower and a sink, all with working taps. There was also a vanity in the bathroom with pretend make-up and plenty of barrettes for her hair. Lastly, there was and a playroom, filled with duplicates of some of Lizzy’s favourites from the nursery. Sirius had even built a back garden for the house, complete with some flowerbeds with wooden flowers, vegetables and fruits which could be ‘planted’ into pre-drilled holes. There was even a swing hanging from the tree. He revelled in showing it all to his daughter, and she was delighted by it. “Sirius did all this?” Walburga asked in astonishment. “He did,” Anwen answered. “There is an equally impressive play area in the back garden he built for Harry. It resembles a pirate ship right now, although it started out as a mere house with a swing attached. Every year for Harry’s birthday he expands it.” “Goodness, I’ve never seen anything like it.” “The initial idea came from some Muggle toys we say while shopping for Harry’s second birthday,” Anwen explained. “Sirius just took it to ridiculous proportions.” “Is he really this happy?” Anwen took her mother-in-law’s hand and held it tight. “Sirius is deliriously happy,” she confessed. “He thinks that being a father is the grandest experience ever and revels in it.” “How did he learn to…his father wasn’t like this,” Walburga whispered. “No, he wasn’t,” Anwen agreed. “I don’t want this to hurt you, but whatever Sirius has learned about being a father, he learned from Monty Potter. That joy, that’s what Monty showed him. I’m ever so thankful for it, because I’m not sure I would have wanted to have had Sirius’ children without his influence.” “You didn’t tell me anything I did not already suspect,” Walburga confessed. The older woman’s eyes drifted back to her son, who was happily letting his daughter put barrettes in his hair. *R*R*R*R*R* “Anwen, what has you thinking so hard,” Alice asked the next day when they were sitting in the Auror office. “I can almost see the cogs moving in your head.” “I’m reading an account of one of the Aurors who was at the speech Grindelwald gave the night Leta Lestrange died. Did you know we had an entire delegation of British Aurors in Paris that night? They were charged with re-capturing him. I don’t remember reading about it in the formal documentation. It simply says that Theseus Scamander was there with his fiancée, Leta, and the American Auror, Ms Goldstein was present and assisted by Theseus’ brother, Newt. But this accounting, by an Auror named Pernicious Portworthy”” “What an awful name,” Alice interjected. “I wonder if Mr, Miss…” “Mr.” “I wonder if Mr Portworthy was like his name? How could parents do that to their child?” “No idea,” Anwen answered. “Anyway, this accounting wasn’t in the official Grindelwald file, but rather in Mr Portworthy’s personal file. It says there was a full complement of British Aurors who did battle with Grindelwald. Why in the world isn’t this in the official report?” “You’re saying there were more of us there than just Scamander and the American?” Alice questioned for clarification. "Yes, and according to Portworthy, they all fled when Leta died. One killed a person in the crowd, and … Alice, someone like us, might have started the whole mess that night. Nicholas has told me what happened outside the mausoleum, the Fiendfyre, the elemental magic, all of it, but we've always thought the reporting on what went on in the crypt that night was complete.” “Okay, so what does it mean if there were more Aurors there than we thought?” Alice asked. “Well, if a British Auror triggered the events of that night, leading to the death of the bystander and Ms Lestrange, although indirectly; it means Great Britain was far more involved than we were led to believe. It also means the Ministry banished the truth to the rubbish bin and let the greater wizarding population of our country believe Grindelwald wasn't a true threat. Leta's death was officially determined to be because of magical misadventure; basically, she died because she did something stupid." "Instead of being murdered by Grindelwald. There wasn't anyone to disagree, save Theseus, and we know from his file he wasn't in a good emotional place and took several months off from work.” "It also means that what we think we know might not be true. Maybe she wasn't killed? Maybe whatever that fire-line Theseus's report calls, it wasn't a spell for destruction but perhaps transportation?" Anwen ventured. "If that's the case, where did she go?" Alice asked, and Anwen shook her head. "Can't you ask Nicholas what he saw?" “He was never inside the crypt,” Anwen answered. “What he knows is from what Newt and some American Muggle with the last name of Kowalski told him. I’ve spoken with Newt Scamander, but he’s a Magizoologist, not an Auror. He doesn’t see things quite the same way. I also think the entire discussion was painful for the man,” she explained. “I believe he was close to Leta when they were at Hogwarts.” “Just to think this through, what would happen if Leta didn’t die when we thought, and somehow she ended up alive but transported…where?” Alice queried. "Where, I don't know. I also don't know the ramifications of her living, although she would be another link to a pureblood family for Grindelwald. I'm more disturbed by the missing information from the Auror reports. I don't like the idea of the Ministry hiding anything from its own people." "What about your Auror Portworthy? Can you go interview him?" Alice asked. "No, he died in sixty-nine of, er," Anwen flipped through the pages of the personnel file, "died in a fishing accident off the Irish coast." “Who dies from fishing?” Alice asked rhetorically. "Someone whose name is Pernicious Portworthy." The women laughed. "Every time I think we have something factual we can hold on to like Leta Lestrange died in France at Grindelwald's hand, it turns to sand and slips through our fingers. I just don't understand." “Do you think it’s related to Tom Riddle and to his pureblood war?” “I’m beginning to think everything is related to each other, which makes me very smart or utterly paranoid,” Anwen said, running her hands through her hair. “Alice, have you ever put together a jigsaw puzzle? Are there wizarding versions of them?” "There are, and I have." "You know how it helps to have the picture to refer to, so you can figure out where bits are supposed to go?" Alice nodded. "What if all of it is the same jigsaw puzzle, we just see bits, but we don't have a picture to refer to?" "Anwen, if you're right, then…what?" "If I'm right, the struggle to suppress anyone who isn't pureblood has been going on since close to the turn of the century, and Tom Riddle’s terror was just a series of battles in the same war.” "Who could orchestrate something like that?" Alice said, panicked. "There can't be anyone with that sort of power." “Who put a memory-controlling bone shard in Dumbledore’s brain? Why was it so important for James and Lily to die?” The two friends looked at each other in dismay. The problem didn't seem to become smaller. Instead, it expanded exponentially. |
| Reviews 19 |
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