The Other Side: A Harry Potter FanFiction

Chapter XVII

It felt as though hours had passed in silence before finally Andromeda, still in tears, knocked on the door. "Dinner" was all she said before walking away.

            Sirius took a deep breath. "Shall we go, then?"

            "I guess," Lana muttered.

            He pulled the door open, letting her step outside before him, and closed it behind him. She started down the staircase, Sirius following quietly.

            Cedric met her at the bottom of the stairs. "Everything alright?"

            She nodded and smiled. "Better than before."

            "Can I please have everybody's attention?" Dumbledore called, and every pair of eyes in the room looked toward him. "I believe its time we sit down around the table and mourn."

            "Come," Andromeda said, "Everybody in the dining room. Sirius, sit beside me."

            Sirius stepped past Lana and Cedric and towards his cousin. He put an arm around her shoulder and together they walked into the dining room. Remus, who looked more exhausted than before, followed after them, and then Dumbledore and Snape. Regina, accompanied by Kreacher, handed wineglasses to everyone. As she held one out to Lana, she said, "Sirius asked me to ask you to sit next to him."

            "Really?" Lana asked, "Why?"

            "Something about you being very comforting," Regina replied, "I'm not sure. He's saved you a seat, though."

            Lana took the wineglass. "And Cedric?"

            "If you want," she said with a shrug, giving him a glass. "Hurry up and get inside. Albus is about to start the speech."

            "Come on," Lana murmured to Cedric and hurried inside.

            Small lit candles floated in sets of three around the dining room, illuminating everyone's faces an eerie yellow. The older refugees sat at the table with Sirius, Andromeda, Remus, Snape and Dumbledore. Regina, having given out all the glasses, pulled out the chair beside Snape and sat down.

            Lana stepped around the table to her chair. The little house-elf pulled a seat over for Cedric, and when everyone was seated, Dumbledore stood, holding his glass. "I don't know how to start a speech like this. When a fellow fighter dies in action, it's always the same thing; they died with honor. But Regulus didn't just die with honor.

            "Regulus Arcturus Black was a great man. He died how he lived; a brave, brave person. His life was taken most unfairly. He will be remembered. He will be remembered-for being brave through the end.

            "I think it would be best if those of us closest to him said a few words in honor of Regulus," Dumbledore said, looking towards Sirius. "Sirius?"

            Sirius gulped. "He was a great brother, a good man." His hands were shaking, but he continued, "It was his idea to start this place; it was his hands that saved the lives of hundreds. He helped me through one of the hardest times in my life. I never thanked him for that, either. I wish I could've." He looked towards Andromeda. "Your turn."

            "I loved Regulus," she whispered, "The Black brothers were the only two people in my family who bothered with me after I was disowned. They took me in after Ted and Nymphadora were killed. I'll always be grateful to him for the kindness he showed me. I'm going to miss him... so much." Her face was wet with tears, and she took a deep, shaking breath. "I know it's a sad thing to say, but I'm almost sort of glad he's dead. He doesn't have to live in this... this horrible world anymore."

            They all took turns saying nice things about Regulus. Everybody was in tears, Lana included. She barely noticed when Cedric took her hand and gave it a squeeze, though his face was wet as well. By the time everyone had spoken, Dumbledore stood again and held up his glass high. "To Regulus. May he rest in peace."

            "Regulus," everyone said in unison, and took a sip of the wine.

            "Kreacher," Andromeda said quietly, "Get everyone their dinner, please."

            "Yes, Mistress," replied the house-elf, who's big eyes were tearful.

            "Well," Sirius said, "That was depressing."

            "As if I wasn't sad enough already," Andromeda agreed with another sip of her wine.

            "Do you think everything's going to be alright?" Lana asked, "I mean, who's going to take the refugees away? Everyone else is in hiding... if they get seen, more people will die."

            "I'll take them," Snape said, "I might be able to get a few extra cloaks and masks to disguise them. That doesn't mean we won't get caught, but..."

            "Okay, but what then?" Lana asked, "I mean, once everybody gets out, what happens?"

            "We leave the house with Kreacher," Sirius replied simply, "There's nothing else we can do. We'll each Apparate to a different safe house and continue to live life the way we do now."

            "That's it?" Lana asked, "You're not going to do anything to... I don't know, avenge your brother's death?"

            "What can we do?" Sirius demanded, "Walk right up to Hogwarts castle, knock on the door and say, 'Hey Voldy! Let me in so I can kill you!'? There's nothing we can do. Trying to fight is a death wish."

            "Not trying to fight is, too," Lana said, "If you do nothing at all, you're just a bunch of sitting ducks. They'll find you, and they'll kill you. You can't hide away forever, Sirius!"

            "What do you suggest?" he asked.

            "You said that Regulus wanted war against the Dark Lord, right?"

            Sirius nodded.

            Lana took a deep breath. "Well, I agree."