Chapter 16

EDWARD WRIGHT

Me and Fleur stood in front of the Ministry building. Waiting for the arrival of her mother and sister. I had met Mrs. Delacour previously though the interaction had been brief; I had found her a doting mother. The fact was more evident as she had often accompanied Fleur to the tournament.

Besides me, Fleur was a bit nervous because of her changed status. She had told me that she had written to her mother about it previously, yet there had been no response from her. Only conveying the news of their arrival.

I wrapped my arm around her, catching her attention.

"Why are you so nervous? Don't worry, it will be fine?" I spoke reassuringly.

Fleur gave me a smile though she seemed a bit unsure.

"What if it isn't? What if she doesn't like you? With my fath…" and I cut her off with a scandalized scoff.

"What's not to like!" and she smiled at my accent, but our conversation was cut short by a bundle of golden locks rocketing towards us.

"FLEUR!!" came a shrill voice as the ball of gold collided with Fleur, almost knocking her off balance. I smiled as I saw the two sisters hug.

I looked up and saw the smiling form of Mrs. Delacour walking towards us, though her focus was not on her two daughters.

"Mrs. Delacour, it is good to see you. I hope the paperwork wasn't messy," I greeted her, and she smiled as she replied.

"Oh. Thank you, dear. I hope you haven't been waiting for long." She said as she gave me a small hug, and then she turned to Fleur. Who had now separated from her sister? A sister who was looking at me with narrowed eyes.

I met Gabrielle's eyes as I crouched down.

"Hi. I am Edward…." But she cut me off in a strict voice.

"I know who you are." And I raised a brow at that. Though I had not missed the slightly worried expression on Fleur's face as Gabrielle continued.

"Fleur's told us all loads about you. She said you are stronger than Harry Potter," she asked with the same narrowed eyes, and I just blinked at that.

"Well, Harry Potter is my junior, and I haven't dueled him. But I am confident I could take on him," and evidently, that was the wrong answer as her eyes widened.

"But he is the Boy Who Lived!" and from the laugh of Mrs. Delacour, I could tell that this was a very elaborate debate. I just nodded my head as I leaned in a bit closer and spoke in a snake tone.

"Not only that, but I actually defeated your sister as well quite recently," and now Gabrielle's face snapped to Fleur.

"Ok, Gabrielle. That is enough. We can talk about it later. Let us get to our hotel."

And the conversation broke down, though, throughout the whole time, Gabrielle was looking at me with narrowed eyes.

0000

SIRIUS BLACK

Sirius shivered as he entered the cave once more. However, the cold did not bother him much. Not any longer. Years of desolate and prickling cold were something that made this slight cold feel like a summer day.

He walked towards the fire that he had set up previously. The warmth and the light relaxed him as he inched closer to the fire itself. A small change of clothes was spread to the side, drying out.

"BUCKBEAK!" he called for his companion. But there was no response. The Hippogriff might have gone hunting.

Sirius had been on the run for more than a year and a half now. The remnants from his stay at Azkaban still haunted him. He would often wake up with chills, writhing as he dreamt of those shadowy creatures creeping up on him once more.

Only to wake up to find out that it was nothing more than a dream. Though, he could feel himself getting better. He could feel his body recover its strength, his mind gaining clarity as his memories resurfaced. Memories of good times and old times give him strength.

Though some of them were not so old, and he smiled as he remembered his godson's face. Harry reminded him so much of his parents. His face was a near copy of his father's, with the striking emerald eyes of his mother. And Sirius cursed the RAT in his heart as he longed to see his face once more.

Wormtail. They should never have trusted him. That sniveling coward. Traitor.

Sirus picked up the bag by the side and took out a can of tuna he had picked from the store. Due to his status, he could not stay in an established place, but he had been able to traverse the muggle markets quite easily. Buying up food had not been difficult.

He opened the can up and was about to eat when he heard the sound of footsteps. His senses went haywire as he immediately picked up his wand and extinguished the fire. He picked up the bag and tried to apparate but failed.

Wards. He recognized. Showing that the intruder was a wizard.

"Sirius! Are you there?" came a small voice. A voice he recognized quite easily. Dumbledore walked slowly, with his wand illuminating the cave.

"Sirius!" asked his old Headmaster once more. Sirius frowned as he moved out of the shadow, though his wand was still held tightly in his grip.

"Dumbledore!" Sirius confirmed.

"It is good to see you, Sirius," came the voice of the Headmaster as he smiled upon seeing him. Dumbledore waved his wand. The fire lit up once more, illuminating the whole cave.

"Why are you here, Dumbledore? Have they caught Wormtail? Has the Ministry budged on a trial?" Sirius asked, and there was a bit of desperation in his voice. But to his dismay, Dumbledore shook his head.

"I am afraid not. Lucius has been using his influence to stop Fudge in this regard," and Sirius shook his head in dismay as anger rose in his heart. Lucious Malfoy was using his influence to prevent his trial as in case such a trial was to happen. Sirius would be able to name and implicate many of his friends.

"But I do bear good news. While Fudge could not be convinced, I have begun making inquiries about a different approach and hope to receive good news soon. And in that regard, I believe that I have need of you once more," and Sirius frowned at that. Why would Dumbledore need him?

"What do you need? I don't believe that I have much to offer. After all, I am wanted, man?" Sirius spoke up.

"Nothing much, but it seems that we must return to your ancestral home; I need access to the House of Blacks."

Sirius's eyes went wide as he recognized the name. A name he had not thought about in a long time. An unplottable place that would be perfect for him. But why would Dumbledore need such a place?

"But what about the Ministry? Won't they be able to locate me?" he questioned. And Dumbledore just gave him a smile.

"Why don't you leave it to me?"

Sirius shrugged, ready to leave, but just as he was about to apparate, he stopped. His mind going towards his companion.

"Why don't you go on ahead! I will meet you there!" Dumbledore frowned as he heard the sound of flapping wings and clacking hooves before he saw a very familiar Hippogriff enter the cave.

0000

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

Albus Dumbledore finished the incantation as he let his wand down. Immediately he could feel the spell place hold as the memory of the Place was stamped in his head. Beside him, Sirius began to look around, his eyes in a daze

"Grimmauld place is the home of Sirius Black." And with those words, Sirius reoriented himself as he blinked once or twice. His long curly hair was unruly due to continuous neglect. Dumbledore's heart hurt as he saw the sunken cheeks, the stick-like figure. Sirius had had such light in his eyes in his youth though now they seemed hollow and dull and he had to stare deeply to find a glimmer of the shine they once held.

"I can not believe that I had to return to this place," Sirius spoke up as he looked around the corridor. However, they would soon be surprised by the sound of steps. Dumbledore frowned as the sound of steps got louder.

"The wastrel young master has returned! Oh, the mistress will be angry. She will be angry." Came the grunting voice of a house elf. A very old house elf with drooped ears and a dirty sack covering his body.

Just the house elf Dumbledore wanted to meet.

"Kreacher! You are alive, you freakin monster!" and Dumbledore frowned as he heard Sirius's harsh words.

0000

EDWARD WRIGHT

"I hope he dies, that freakin mud-blood!" were the words I heard as I stepped into the common room. A small group of Slytherin sat near the fireplace, discussing the first task.

And I saw Uquart's eyes widen as he spotted me coming down. Uquart Flint, brother to one Marcus Flint was in his sixth year and was a representation of everything wrong with Slytherin. He had come to Hogwarts, expecting to enjoy the control his brother held, though that notion would soon be broken as Marcus would try and get heavy-handed with me.

And after that, my retaliation would leave Marcus in the Hospital Wing for a month. A month in which Uquart would join him a week later.

I looked towards him and his friends, who had now gone quiet and were looking around nervously. After a second or so of thinking, I just shook my head and walked out of the room. They were not worth it.

Though, as I would step out, I was joined by my best friend, who was just about to enter the dorms, at such a time.

The crumpled-up state of his clothes showed exactly the kind of adventures he had been up to.

Henry gave me a wolfish smile when I shook my head at him.

"Hello, Edward," he said as he swung his arm around my head.

"Hello. It is nice of you to show up," I snarked, and he just smiled.

"I wouldn't have come up but had to pick up my assignments for the day," his sentence made me look at him with a raised brow.

"You do know what day it is, right," I asked.

"Of course. It is the…," and he would stop mid-sentence as he would remember the significance of the day.

"There aren't any lectures today. It's the first task of the tournament," I said as I moved past him.

"Oh," came the whisper, and then a louder one as he ran up to me.

"OH!"

0000

Sirius is a character one can play around with. His death was quite tragic, not that his life was any less so. But, the Backs are quite an unfortunate family. They are a house that represents the actual destruction caused by war.

A divided house, a broken family, and what remains is just a painful memory of a once great legacy.