Reposting. Thank you Arnel.
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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: 18933; Chapter Total: 638 Author's Notes: |
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Chapter 4: Connections August 1982 “You’re sure she’s fine?” Sirius asked Madame Pomfrey for the fourth time in as many minutes. "Sirius, she passed out from the sudden influx of memories that this," she said, pointing to the small glass capsule, which was taken out of Anwen's head and was now housed in a small glass pot, “had been impeding them. Unfortunately, all that’s left of the memories are fragments. I can’t make heads nor tails of them.” Sirius turned back to his fiancé. “Maybe you should “” “I already sent a note to Healer Weston,” Anwen finished his thought. “I’m going to see her tomorrow. I’ve also sent a Patronus to Alice and Frank so they can see this thing and begin running tests on it. It may need to go down to the Unspeakables, but I’d rather start with Aurors who are privy to all our secrets. I think you and Remus should be checked for whatever this thing is too.” “Right,” Sirius said, turning again, “do whatever you need to do.” “I already have, Sirius. There’s nothing there,” Madame Pomfrey told him in a gentle, almost chortling tone. “Do you think Harry might have one? That’s why he has that horrible runny nose?” The idea made Sirius feel sick to his stomach. “Perhaps, but I really think it’s because he’s cutting a tooth,” Anwen said with a patronizing pat to his hand. “Remus is going to bring him over.” “Is Albus here?” Sirius hastily asked, looking to Minerva. He might know many of the secrets of the castle, but Sirius was sure Dumbledore knew more. “No, he’s gone to the continent for a few days,” Minerva explained. “I would not expose Harry to his possible harassment." Anwen put her hand to the side of her head, not far from where the capsule was found and began rubbing it. “Are you sure you’re fine, Anwen?” the deputy asked the woman. "I just have a headache," she answered. "I'm trying to figure out what these fragments belong to, but it's like having a half-dozen photographs that someone has ripped up, and I need to puzzle them back together. One of them has to do with the house in Godric's Hollow, but I can't figure anything else out." Frank and Alice came into the hospital wing, and after greeting their friends, the two Aurors and their former colleague put their heads together. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” Alice said. “It’s so small.” “I know,” Anwen said. “It reminds me of a paracetamol capsule but made of glass.” “You mean like those murders they have happening in the States?” Frank asked. “Where the capsules have been tampered with?” "Only in the sense that this little thing is the same size as those capsules. They aren't made of glass but rather cellulose, which will dissolve. Paracetamol capsules can also be taken apart; this thing is solid glass. I'm guessing transfiguration of some sort was involved in its creation," Anwen explained. She kept up on North America's news more closely than her friends due to her parents' relocation there. “The glass has no magical signature or any identifying features, so if we learn anything, it’s going to come from the fragment inside. Alice, does it look like a bone to you?" "Eew, that's disgusting, but yes, it sort of does. Old bone, or maybe petrified fingernail. Possibly a shard of a tooth. Why would someone put a scrap of themselves into this thing and then stick it in your head?” “Do you read a magical signature on it?” Frank asked. “No, but I think there’s a cloaking spell on the glass, which I can’t even begin to explain. If there is, however, it goes a long way in explaining why none of the routine scans at the Auror department or when I come and go through the enchantments at the keep haven’t picked it up.” "It would," Frank said hesitantly. "Why, though?" "There's a cache of fragmented memories that were somehow affected by this thing," Anwen explained. “Sounds like that little bit of whoever has a spell on it. I can’t even begin to think about what kind of a spell. Hypothesize with me, if it’s using part of the caster’s own tissue, is it possible that they are still actively controlling the spell? Will they know it isn’t part of Anwen anymore?” Frank asked, and the six were silent. Reflexively, Anwen’s hand went to her head again. “Perhaps it was to ensure you’d never put the fragments together?” “It seems to be working since I can’t make sense of what’s there, and it’s giving me a headache.” "I can give you a pain potion," Madame Pomfrey suggested, and reluctantly Anwen nodded. "Can we take this?" Frank asked, and again Anwen nodded as the matron handed her the small phial, and she drank it down. “Please do,” she said when she’d swallowed. “But I want to be there when you crack the outer shell, Alice. I might get a magical reading on it then.” “If this is a biological sample,” Frank said. “Then we might be able to trace the magic, especially if they’ve had previous dealings with any of the Auror departments in the ICW.” The International Confederations of Wizards kept a database of all criminals. Their magical and biological signatures were held to be prosecuted in their home country or not any future crime committed by them. Kingsley and Anwen had spent a fair bit of time using it to track financial crimes that supported Voldemort. “We both know that system isn’t always right,” Anwen said dully. “There’s just as much corruption at the ICW as there is in the Wizengamot.” “Run by the same man,” Sirius said darkly. “He keeps secrets from nearly everyone.” “Speaking of secrets, I don’t need to ask that no one speak of this, right?” Frank asked. “No, Frank, we know how delicate this situation is,” Minerva said calmly, “especially since it could affect little Harry.” “Are you safe at the keep?” Alice asked. “You could always come to our place while Frank and Sirius check everything over at the Potters.” Anwen shook her head. "No, we're safe. All the enchantments were fine when I left this morning. I walk the perimeter every morning and night. We do have a slight issue, though, that I think the department could help with," Anwen said to Frank specifically. "There is someone Disillusioned just outside the front gate every night. I told Dumbledore we didn’t need constant observation, especially since whatever is being seen is a spell, but they are still out there. Think you and King could scare them a bit?" "Why would he want to…never mind. Yes, we can come out, find this creepy peeping-Tom and send them packing. Alice and I need to be back in the office, but I'm going to take this." He lifted the pot, and Anwen, Sirius, and Minerva nodded. "The offer stands; you are always welcome at our place. Mother isn't even in the main house anymore. She's moved into the cottage.” Anwen smiled, knowing it was a blessing for Alice. Augusta Longbottom was a challenge to deal with on the best of days. Several months pregnant would have made her nearly unbearable to be with. “The four-bedroom house down the small lane on the way to the pasture?” Sirius asked with a chuckle in his voice. “That the cottage?” “That’s the one,” Frank said. “Upgraded all the interiors and redecorated for her. It was her eightieth birthday gift.” “I think it was more a present for the two of you,” Minerva said slyly. “She thinks Neville is too loud,” Alice said. Neville was the exact opposite of loud. “With the new baby coming, we knew two would be too much for her.” “If we need to, I promise we will come to you first,” Sirius said. The two Aurors bid their friends and the Hogwarts matron goodbye. As they were about to pass through the double doors, Remus walked in with Harry. When he saw his auntie on the trolley he immediately reached out for her. Anwen took the little boy and held him close. “Why Nebille’s mummy and daddy here?” Harry struggled with the ‘v’ sound, which was rather cute. Neville couldn’t get the double ‘r’ of Harry’s name right either, so it was Harwy. They tried to correct each other, but only time would make it easier for them to say. "They needed to help Auntie Winnie with something. Do you remember Madame Pomfrey? She checked out your tummy one day when you were sick?" Anwen asked the child, and he nodded. "She wants to wave a wand over your head. It will not hurt, and I will hold you while she does it, okay?" Harry nodded again. Poppy waved her wand over Harry in a large motion and continued until she made just a small circle over the left cheek. "You're right, he is cutting a tooth, and it's caused a little infection. I'll get a potion together so it doesn't go into his ear. He doesn't have anything resembling that thing we took from you, but there is some scarring behind that mark that You-Know-Who left. When he's a bit older, I think we should take it out just so he doesn't have issues when he gets to be an adult." “Whatever you think is best,” Anwen said calmly while both Remus and Sirius began peppering her with questions about removing it now. Sniggering, she went to her office to prepare the potion, leaving their questions unanswered. “Guys, if she thought it needed to come out today, she would have done it.” “But, what if it’s like that thing you have, and it hides some memories?” Sirius asked. “Do you really want him remembering more of that night than he already does?” Anwen asked softly. “I’d rather have that discussion with him when he at least has the language skills to explain it to us.” “You’re right, Anwen,” Remus said. “Are you feeling better?” "I am; the pain potion helped." Remus smiled at his friend. Poppy returned with a little cup and promised Harry a bit of chocolate if he drank it all down. The child did so without any prompting or complaints and was thrilled with the three chocolate buttons she brought him. “You never gave me chocolate when I had to take a potion,” Sirius whinged. “You were usually taking potions because of something you’d done to yourself, Sirius,” Poppy retorted. “I don’t reward recklessness.” Everyone laughed, save Sirius. “If there’s one word that describes you, Padfoot, it’s reckless,” Remus said while patting him on his back. The next morning, Anwen was watching the four youngsters playing in the garden. It was her morning to host, and as promised, Arthur brought his youngest two over. Remus would take them home after lunchtime. Neville was extremely interested in the small 'children's garden' Remus had helped the quartet plant and picked pole beans and raspberries with Wilken's help. Ron was in the sandbox, building huge mounds that he would race cars and dump trucks over. Neither Ginny nor Ron had ever seen any Muggle construction vehicles and didn't believe such things existed when they saw the small toy versions Harry had for his sandbox. Becoming rather belligerent about it, Remus and Sirius took the four to an excavation site where such trucks were working. Since then, Ron was obsessed with building and knocking down his own mounds of sand. On the lowest platform of the play castle, Harry and Ginny held hands and looked at each other intently. Anwen was observing them, noticing that they sometimes smiled in unison or would laugh suddenly. She stood from her chair in the shade and walked over to where they were, and rested her forearms on the platform. “What are you and Ginny doing, Harry?” “We’s talking, but quiet. I can hear her,” he explained. Anwen looked at him strangely. “But I don’t see her moving her lips.” “No lips,” Ginny said sweetly. “Then how are you talking?” Anwen prodded. "My head," Ginny answered, then looked at Harry, and they giggled. “Harry, is Ginny in your head, too?” “Uh-huh. We’s not bad.” His bottom lip jutted out, and he was suddenly worried. He'd coloured on the dining room wall a week ago and was punished for doing something naughty. His mind immediately went back to having to sit on the step and think about what he’d done. "Oh, Harry, no, it's not bad. I was simply curious. You know what I say about being curious?" she asked, hoping he would parrot back her statement. Curiosity was an essential thing for child development. “Curry-o-city is most imp'portant ting we own!" Harry repeated happily. She'd truncated the quote for him, but he had a general idea, and that was what mattered. “Can you hear anyone else in your head? Either of you?” Both shook their heads no. “Okay. Can I tell Uncle Sirius and your daddy, Ginny?” “We stop?” she asked. The little girl looked genuinely distressed over the idea. “I’m not sure we could make you stop, even if we wanted you to. I don’t want you to, however. I think it’s grand. Sometimes Uncle Sirius and I can talk to each other in our heads, and I see nothing wrong with it.” "'Kay," Harry said, and he looked at Ginny, and the two laughed again. Anwen shook her head and walked back toward the shade. Well, that was something she wasn't expecting, although she had long maintained the two had a bond of some kind. Monty and Fee had explained Sirius and her ability, but it didn't manifest until they became engaged. They'd not tested the skill since they'd reunited last fall. Sitting down in her lovely, padded rocker, Anwen closed her eyes and sighed. There indeed wasn't ever a dull moment with Harry. Later that evening, Remus was walking through the rather seedy streets of east London’s Shoreditch neighbourhood. It had always had a rather sordid reputation, but few people asked questions here, and that’s what he liked. He came to the door of a dilapidated council flats building and let himself in; the lock hadn't engaged in years. He descended the half flight of stairs into the lowest landing and knocked three times on the left door. It was called a 'garden apartment,' but it was really in the basement. Any windows the place had, and this one only had two, were at street level. It was a depressing way to live. "I wasn't sure you'd make it," the rail-thin woman said as he entered. Remus hugged her tightly before planting a sweet, lingering kiss on her lips. "I promised, I will always make it to you," he responded before taking her by the hand and leading her to the double bed. There was nothing else to sit on, as the space was too small. Just the bed, neatly made even if the blankets were threadbare and patched. A small tv tray stand acted as a nightstand with a lamp that was bent to one side on top, providing sparse light. Across from the bed stood piles of old books, some waterlogged or singed, most taken from the trash, but occasionally a charity shop find was a treat. Two paperboard crates held all the clothes the woman-owned, neatly folded and stored. On the other side of the door was a hot plate and ancient chill chest designed to have an ice delivery to keep it cold. One sink was there, and jutting off the top of the central faucet was a pole that held a piece of garden hose and a spigot. She used this to clean herself over the drain in the floor. A toilet was surrounded by a charity shop sheet to give the illusion of privacy. One of the windows was above the toilet, so she'd hand-sewn a curtain out of a matching pillowcase. The other window was above her books, and it had a matching curtain. It was apparent she'd done what she could with her meagre income. Remus spoke with the woman whose jet-black hair fell limply against her oval-shaped face. She had eyes the colour of clouds before a lightning storm. In another place, and if she gained back the weight she'd lost, one would call her beautiful. Now, though, she looked exhausted and overwhelmed. “They’d take you in,” Remus said softly. “You could come to stay in my cottage." “I am a danger to Harry,” she quietly said. “Anyway, if I even try to leave this place, I’m going to be arrested. You know that. I didn’t intend to kill anyone, it just happened, and I don’t think I can bear Azkaban “” she trailed off as her tears overtook her. "Shh, it's alright," Remus comforted her. He held her and whispered to her gently. When she'd sufficiently calmed, he spoke to her. "One way or another, we are going to fix this together. I love you." |
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