Astra

XXXIV - The Explanation

RON WAS STARING OVER Harry's shoulder. Harry wheeled around.

There was Sirius Black. He looked towards Astra, who seemed abnormally calm. Luna and Hermione were standing behind her, looking a small bit fearful, but not much.

"Dad! You absolute idiot, you broke his leg!" exclaimed Astra as she turned to Ron. He flinched trying to get away, causing her to take a step away.

Harry and Ron both looked each other in complete confusion.

"I knew it! I knew you were working with him! If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" He looked towards Hermione for backing up, but she didn't seem nearly as scared as she was supposed to.

"Lie down," he said quietly to Ron. "You will damage that leg even more."

"Did you hear me?" Ron said weakly, though he was clinging painfully to Harry to stay upright. "You'll have to kill all three of us!"

"There'll be only one murder here tonight," said Black, and his grin widened.

Astra groaned. "Now's not the time to be dramatic. Let's all just be civilized and we can get him later."

Harry's head snapped around to Astra in shock. Astra saw his luck and chuckled slightly. "Not you, we're talking about Peter. None of you guys should get any more injured tonight."

"You... you.. with him..." Harry said faintly looking back and forth between Sirius and Astra and then at Hermione and Luna and Ron.

"Well, this certainly isn't the way I envisioned we'd all meet, but let's get started. Everyone, meet my dad, Sirius Black -"

"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" Harry lunged forward, forgetting about his wand but was held back by Hermione and another arm, which seemed to be Luna. He struggled, but eventually fell back still shaking in fury. 

"No, he did not. Okay? We'll get to that explanation. Can we please introduce ourselves politely? That will be the best way to get this done," she said a bit sarcastically.

"Astra," Sirius chuckled.

"Ok, so. Now, you've met my father. Dad, meet Luna Lovegood, I told you about her -"

"Hello, Mr. Black!" Luna said cheerfully, offering an arm out to shake. "I'd like to apologize for what we had said. I've learned from Astra that you in no way stole any of the ministry's aquavirius maggots. I'll have to make sure Daddy get's that cleared up in any way he can if we can clear your name." Sirius was clearly confused, looking at Astra but she just nodded, giving a look that said, 'this happens all the time'. He shook their blonde girl's hand, and said, "Please, call me Sirius. Mr. Black will always seem like my father."

Luna nodded solemnly and then took a step back. 

Harry and Ron were in too much shock. One, that Astra was actually completely calm around her father, acting like he wasn't a criminal. Two, that she was trying to get them all civilized around each other. Three, that there was some sort of explanation. Four, that Luna had just shaken the hand of a mass-murderer and apologized. And five, that Sirius Black actually seemed pretty sane.

"Great, now this is -" but they heard muffled footsteps were echoing up through the floor -- someone was moving downstairs.

Ron let out a strangled yell, trying to get the attention of whoever it was, while the girls looked at each other with fearful faces.

The door of the room burst open in a shower of red sparks and Harry wheeled around as Professor Lupin came hurtling into the room, his face bloodless, his wand raised and ready. His eyes flickered over everyone and shouted, "Expelliarmus!" Astra was able to cast a quick 'protego' with her reflexes, but Hermione, Luna, Ron, and Harry's wands flew out of their hands.