Ch. 14 ‘He’ Finally Answers
I crawled into bed with Sarah because I didn’t want to be alone. I’m pretty sure everyone else was told what Mum and Dad told Siri, Bry and I because for the rest of the night, we all seemed to huddle closer together and when we did actually speak, it was only in whispers. Its odd how getting what you want doesn’t always turn out the way you think it will. There’s still so much that I don’t know about but now…now I don’t know if I want to even have a clue.
The mixture of confusion and fear consuming me made it impossible to sleep soundly. I kept forcing myself to open my eyes when I could tell I was about to fall completely asleep. I didn’t want to dream anything at all and I figured if I didn’t sleep then I wouldn’t dream.
I rolled out of bed when it was still dark out. I was careful not to wake Sarah, Mack and Molly as I closed the door behind me. In the hallway I stood still and listened to the sounds of the Burrow at night. It was a calming quiet with the occasional snore or cough from someone sleeping in one of the nearby bedrooms. I began to relax slightly. My family is full of skilled wizards who have fought and survived times worse than these before and I don’t doubt they are capable of doing it again.
As I crept down the stairs, I heard a soft clink coming from the kitchen. As I got closer I realized the light was on and I heard someone walking around. I peered in and saw my dad standing by the sink and gazing out the window into the darkness. He was wearing pajama pants and a faded red t-shirt that I knew said “Lions roar!” on it. I used to steal that shirt when I was younger and wear it on the days he was away from home. Dad looked deep in thought and I debated on whether I should bother him or not.
“Do you want some tea?” he asked without turning around.
“Sure,” I said, softly.
He turned around and looked slightly surprised that it was me standing across from him. “Having trouble sleeping?” he asked, pouring tea into a cup and handing it to me.
“I guess. I’m pretty sure I could sleep if I really tried but I’m too terrified to actually let myself do it. I don’t want to dream,” I said, holding back the urge to cry.
He nodded, sat down and motioned for me to come over by him. When I did, I found myself on his lap for the second time in the same night.
“How horrible is it?” he asked, softly.
I leaned back into his chest and sighed. “It depends on what I dream usually. The worst one so far would probably be the graveyard though. I didn’t like seeing you like that,” I confessed.
I felt him tense up for a moment and then he simply sighed. “That was the first time I was actually standing next to a person when they were murdered. It’s much different than reading about it or seeing the memory through a vision. I actually felt the curse fly by and could almost hear Cedric’s soul leave his body,” he whispered.
“Cedric?” I asked, an image of my younger brother flashing before my eyes.
“That was his name, Lily, although you know him better as ‘the spare’. Voldemort had him killed because he served no purpose there. If I would’ve taken the cup alone, Cedric might still be alive today,” Dad said, his words coming out slowly, as if he was trying to hide his emotion.
“Can you tell me more?” I asked.
He didn’t answer right away, I just felt him breathe deeply. I didn’t move at all. This was obviously something painful and I knew that pushing him would get me nowhere. I took a sip of tea and set my cup down. I was settling back into the comfortable position on his lap when he finally spoke again.
“It was my Fourth Year, during the Tri-Wizard Tournament. The last task was a maze filled with various obstacles the four champions had to overcome. The goal was to find the Tri-Wizard Cup hidden somewhere in the maze…”
I listened as Dad told me about what happened in that maze. The guilt Dad felt about suggesting Cedric take the Cup with him was so heavy it seemed to hang in the air above, slowly suffocating both of us.
“The Cup was a Portkey, Lily. We were instantly transported to a place far away from the Hogwarts grounds and we were alone. Cedric and I barely had time to get over our confusion and grasp our surrounding before a flash of green light flew by me and Cedric was motionless on the ground. The reason you know him as ‘the spare’ is simply because Voldemort ordered his Death Eater to ‘kill the spare’. Cedric was nothing to Voldemort, thus he determined Cedric was worthless and didn’t deserve to live,” Dad said.
I sat in shock on my father’s lap. I didn’t know what to say or if I should even say anything. Dad was just a boy when he saw Cedric die, he was only a year older than Siri is now and I can’t imagine Siri witnessing such a thing. Dad must have been so frightened and confused.
“Why did Voldemort have you brought to him, Dad?” I asked.
“Prior to that point he couldn’t bear to touch me. When my mother died to save me, I was protected by her love. Anytime Voldemort attempted to touch me in any way he would be…burned, for a lack of a better word. But a potion was brewed by one of his remaining Death Eaters and this potion was how Voldemort returned to his human form after the events at Godric’s Hollow. My blood was used in this potion and that’s why he was able to touch me again,” Dad explained.
I let his words wash over me, trying to absorb as much as possible. The image of my father tied up and screaming passed through my mind again. I saw the fear in his eyes and heard his muffled cries of pain. I willed myself not to cry and squeezed Dad’s hand. My mind was having trouble wrapping around the new information I was suddenly given. Between Bellatrix and Voldemort I didn’t know who I despised more. Was it the man who killed my grandparents, continuously sought out and tortured my father and brought about the war that took so many friends and relative I never met? Or was it the woman who supported everything Voldemort did and believed? The woman who murdered my father’s godfather and tried to kill both my parents? The woman who had escaped her prison and was possibly on her way to hurt my family right now?
Anger surged through me so suddenly I was almost caught off guard. Who were these people? What had Dad ever done to them but prevent them from spreading the darkness? How dare these evil people keep trying to pull Dad back to a life lived in fear. The War was over now! Our side won, Voldemort was defeated ages ago and yet I was still sitting in the Burrow’s kitchen listening to my Dad try and tell his story without showing emotion.
“I’m so sorry, Daddy, about everything,” I said, hugging him fiercely.
“There will always be evil in the world, Lily. No spell or enchantment can completely conquer it. We can only do our best to make sure the amount of good outweighs the bad,” he whispered into my ear.
“That’s what I’ve been told,” I told him.
He chuckled slightly. “Let’s get you a sleeping draught so you won’t dream tonight,” he said, lifting me off his lap.
After I took my dose I left my Dad in the kitchen and headed for the stairs. “Oh, Dad, I’m not going to stop snooping around though,” I said with a smirk.
“You wouldn’t be my daughter if you did,” he said, sending an identical smirk back at me.
**
The news about Bellatrix clouded over the Burrow for the remainder of the holiday break, although we didn’t know anything about it. Gran refused to let any of her grandchildren under the age of seventeen out of her sight, which not only made eavesdropping virtually impossible but it also prevented us from speculating and investigating (Bry’s exact words). We barely got the chance to see who was Flooing or Apparating over, which was something that had never happened before. These people have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember and it didn’t make sense for them to suddenly isolate themselves from us.
“This is ridiculous!” Sarah exclaimed as the back door slammed and Gran ushered us upstairs to our rooms.
“Hush, Sarah,” Gran scolded.
I cleared my throat significantly and fell behind in the group.
“But Gran, this really is stupid,” Sarah continued.
“Bloody pile of dragon shit is what it is,” Siri mumbled loud enough for Gran to hear. He was right in front of the bedroom door, just waiting for Gran’s reaction.
“Sirius James Potter! How DARE you use such language? It’s despicable! This is not the time - ” And Gran was off on one of her classic scolds.
I headed back down the stairs quietly and stood stationary outside the kitchen door, listening to the conversation from within. I recognized Minerva’s voice and had to restrain myself from rushing in and hugging her. I hadn’t seen her since my eighth birthday and I love it when she visits.
“I’m very proud of you, Potter. Dumbledore would be proud of you also,” Minerva said.
“Thank you, but it wasn’t necessary to come here to tell me that,” Dad said.
“I’m too old for games, Mr. Potter so I’ll get to the point. Sybill has been found dead,” Minerva replied, heavily.
“What? Professor that’s impossible! Draco’s in charge of watching her. Where is he?” Mum asked.
“Missing, Mrs. Potter,” Minerva answered.
“Fabulous, we’ll be finding him in an abandoned house sometime soon I expect,” Dad said.
“This is why I’m glad you told the children, Potter. They need to be aware so they can protect themselves,” Minerva said, her voice a mixture of pride and fear.
There was only silence after her statement.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
“Professor, please stay calm. We told them about Bellatrix. They know she captured us and that she killed Sirius, so I made it very clear that she is extremely dangerous,” Dad said.
“And?” Minerva prompted.
“And what? Lily and I talked about the graveyard later on and I explained the events she saw in her dream,” Dad said, a defensive edge to his voice.
“Did you tell them about Saiph?”
Mum and Dad cleared their throats. “Not yet. We’re taking this one step at a time, Professor,” Mum said.
“We’re waiting until the moment when they need to know about Saiph and that moment is not now,” Dad said, sternly.
“Potter! They’re going back to school in two days! Are you going to tell them before they leave?”
“No, Professor,” Dad answered.
“I have asked you both repeatedly to call me Minerva, and you have to tell them about Saiph; all of them. She is just as dangerous and now with - ”
“LILLIAN GINEVRA POTTER! WHAT IN MERLIN’S NAME ARE YOU DOING DOWN THERE?” Gran’s voice roared throughout the house.
I rammed my forehead against the wall in frustration as Dad rounded the corner, his eyes afire with fury. Gran thudded down the last step and continued her scold as she marched toward me.
“Such a DIRTY trick! I can’t believe you children would do such a thing! How dare you exploit the circumstances purely for such a selfish benefit. I’M APPALLED!” she yelled.
I wasn’t upset by her words nor their volume nearly as much as I was by the expression on Dad’s face. Mum came in and shook her head at me but Minerva seemed to be having trouble holding back a smile. I immediately used her appearance to my advantage and I broke into a grin.
“Hi, Aunt Min! It’s good to see you this evening,” I said, trying not to laugh as the muscles in her face tightened even more.
“Lily, go to your room…NOW!” Dad said, failing to keep his anger at bay.
“Well of course, Dad. I just thought I’d see if anyone else had an urge for a good cup of tea before bed,” I said, turning back to Minerva and grinning again. “Can I have a hug before I go, Aunt Min?” I asked, using my innocent little girl voice.
“Of course, dear,” she said, smiling and giving me a tight squeeze.
Gran mumbled something and headed to the kitchen while Mum hastily pecked the top of my head and swatted my bottom a tad more forceful than normal. Dad avoided me and turned to Gran.
“Molly, what are you doing?” he asked.
“Getting Lily her tea, Harry,” I heard her respond as I reached the stairs.
“Mum, she doesn’t really want tea,” my mum said, an exhausted tone in her voice.
“Ginny dear, everyone always wants tea,”
I heard Minerva chuckle slightly as I began my way up the stairs.
“What’s so funny, Minerva?” Dad snapped.
“Oh nothing, Potter. She’s turning out to be quite a nice mixture of you and Ginny, don’t you think?” Minerva asked.
“Merlin help us all,” Mum muttered.
I held in a giggle as I shut the door to the bedroom and immediately told the others about what I had the pleasure of overhearing between Minerva and my parents.
To Find the Truth by hopelesslyhopeful
Chapter Notes: FINALLY!! I know, I know, I am a horrible person who should quite possibly be tarred and feathered for my lack of updating. But I beg of you to forgive me, I just got my internet hooked up at my new place so this is the first time in 2 weeks (eeks!) I have been able to log on. So hopefully you enjoy this chapter enough to amend the wounds I quite possibly opened due to lack of updates. Please read and review, you know it makes me love you more!