Raven (Fred x oc)

3. The Black Name

Hollow-cheeked and pale, I stepped into the house with Remus behind me. "You hungry?" Remus asked. I shook my head. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," I snapped.

"Val, you just spent two months in Azkaban," Remus countered.

"Really? I had no idea," I snapped. "I'll be in my room." Once there, I shut the door behind me and crawled in bed.
...............................................
"Val!" Fred called, rushing towards me as I stepped into the Leaky Caldron.

"Fred," I replied with much less enthusiasm and no smile. "George."

Lowering his voice, Fred asked, "Are you doing okay?"

"What do you think?" I snapped irritably.

"Right," he sighed. "Let's go get some ice cream or something." I nodded and soon we were all sitting together and the twins talked, trying to make me laugh and distract me from the judgmental stares being thrown my way.

"Does everyone know?" I asked, interrupting whatever George had been saying.

Sharing an uncertain look with his brother, Fred admitted, "They ran an article about your arrest the day after it happened. Frontpage."

"And my exoneration?"

"A tiny article on the tenth page," George admitted. I scoffed. "Are the dementors as bad as everyone says?" Fred elbowed him in the ribs harshly.

"Yes," I admitted. "And worse...they gave me my dad's cell."

"What?" Fred gasped. "That's- that's so-"

"Cruel, yeah," I filled in darkly. After a pause, I furrowed my brows and admitted, "He carved my name on the wall."

"Why?" George asked. I shrugged. "Was he trying to remember you or..."

"What if he's trying to kill you?" Fred suggested.

I scoffed. "Fred, he didn't kill anyone and he's not trying to kill me."

His eyes widening, George leaned forward, retorting, "You believe him? I thought the Prophet was joking when it said you believed him."

"It's what got me locked up," I admitted. "But I know he didn't kill those people."

"Look, Val, I know you want to believe in him, but-"

"Now you sound like Remus," I snapped.

"As much as I hate to say it, you were three when he was arrested, Val," Fred countered, clearly trying to reason with me. "You can't know what he's like."

"Whatever," I huffed, fidgeting with my ring and trying to hide how hurt and betrayed I felt. At last, I suggested, "Can a man who loves his daughter how he loves me really be evil? Can't you see the possibility of him being good?" Fred sighed, but neither answered.

After a pause, Fred asked, "Valerie, why didn't you tell us?"

I sighed, "I didn't want you to judge me for it."

"We wouldn't have judged you," George countered.

"But the possibility scared me too much," I admitted.

Grabbing my hand, Fred assured, "It's okay, we understand."

"We do?" George asked, causing Fred to glare at him and me to let out a chuckle.
..................................................
Soon after, we returned to the bar to see the rest of the Weasleys aside from Ron gathered around. "Do you have club soda?" I asked, leaning over the bar. "Thanks."

I sipped at my glass and avoided the looks of those around me before Mr. Weasley called, "Harry! How are you?"

"Fine, thanks," Harry replied. Mr. Weasley set aside his page, revealing the crazed face of my father. Reverting my eyes, I took another sip of my drink.

"They haven't caught him then?" Harry remarked.

"No," Mr. Weasley replied, glancing over at me as I sipped at my glass. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far."

"Wasn't there an arrest though?" Harry asked. "I heard someone say something about it. His daughter was suspected of helping him escape."

"His daughter is fifteen," I snapped, slamming down my glass and glaring over at him.

Still not getting it, Harry ranted, "They shouldn't have let her go. She has to be guilty, just like him."

"Harry," Ron warned, looking at me anxiously.

"I mean come on, who else would've helped," Harry ranted on.

"Harry," Mr. Weasley snapped. Smirking wryly, I turned from the bar to face Harry.

In a false, cheery voice, I said, "Hello Harry."

"Hi," he said uncertainly.

My anger boiling just under the surface, I asked, "So, you think that Sirius Black's daughter deserves to rot in Azkaban?" Mr. Weasley and Ron were very tense, silenced by their uncertainly of what I was about to do.

"Of course," Harry replied, his brows furrowed. "Don't you?"

"Hm," I hummed. "What'd you do this summer, Harry? Because personally, this summer I've found the best summers are spent in an Azkaban cell. Does wonders for your mood and temperament."

"Black. You're his daughter," Harry said softly. I smirked.

"Pleasure," I said dryly. "Still think I should rot in Azkaban?" At my final words, Mrs. Weasley and the rest of the Weasleys came into the bar, instantly noticing the tense atmosphere between us all. "I'll be in my room," I said bitterly. "Let me know if they catch dear old dad."

I spent the next hour or so in my room at the tavern, reading before someone knocked at the door. "Val, it's me," Fred called from outside the door. With a sigh, I got up and opened the door before going back to my seat. "Ron told us what happened."

"Great," I huffed. "You know, in the years I've known Harry, I've never wanted to kill him more."

"He didn't know, Val," Fred defended.

"And that makes a difference?" I snapped, getting to my feet. "I was locked up for the simple crime of having a convicted murderer for a father. They had no evidence! Do you even know what I went through?" He made no answer. "They interrogated me for hours! Five hours no food, no water. They wouldn't let me see Remus. I didn't say a word for most of it and without a confession, without any evidence, they locked me up for two months. Two months, Fred!"

"Can you imagine that? Two months feeling like you were never going to be happy again, never hopeful again. I felt like I had nothing to live for!" I screamed. "And then when Remus finally got me out, I thought, I hoped that I'd be able to move on, but now I have to listen to Harry and others like him wish I was back in that place when they have no idea what it's like to feel like you have nothing left!" I broke off, turning away from him as I finally let out how I'd been feeling since I got back.

My breathing was ragged and harsh before I began to gasp for breath and tears flooded my eyes. Fred rushed forward, wrapping his arms around me as I began to sob into his chest. "I-It was so dark," I sobbed. "And cold and I was alone. So alone." Fred didn't say anything, he just let me cry into his chest. Finally, I calmed down. Pulling away, I said, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Fred replied. "Do you feel any better?"

"A little, yeah," I admitted.

"Dinner!" Mrs. Weasley called.

"Do you want me to just bring you something?" Fred asked. I nodded.

He began to leave before I called, "Fred?" When he turned to face me, I said, "Thank you."

Smiling slightly, he replied, "Of course. What're friends for?"