tainted transparency || a harry potter story

Chapter Sixteen: The Black Smoke

"Harry's here for support," Remus explained when he saw me come down the basement stairs. We've all just had dinner. During which, Remus and Tonks asked me to join them downstairs so they could tell me something important. "Plus, he already knows what we have to tell you."

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't slightly... nervous," I sat next to Harry on the couch. Remus and Tonks were in chairs on either side of the couch. I settled against Harry's chest and his arms wrapped around me.

"So, Remus, do you want to explain or should I?"

"All your opinion, dear," Remus replied to his girlfriend.

"I'm sure if you explained it to her, it would come off as less of a shock."

"Alright, then," Remust turned to me, his eyes soft. "Hazel, we've received some news about your grandmother."

"Okay," I furrowed my eyebrows. "Is everything okay? What happened?"

"She got into a car accident in muggle London. She was on her way back to her home but she didn't make it home. She was rushed to a hospital and passed away there."

"Really?" I asked in shock. But there wasn't any, total grief really. "Does- does Neville know?"

"I notified Professor McGonagall," Remus began. "I'm sure she's explained everything to him by now."

"Oh," I nodded and looked down at my lap. Where Harry's arms linked together around me. "Well... no going home for me now, huh?"

"We're really sorry, Hazel," Remus frowned.

"No, no, I mean... she wasn't very nice to Neville and I. She wasn't ever there for us," I told them. "I guess it's just... me realizing that Neville's the only family I have left now."

Remus and Tonks exchanged a light smile. "That's not entirely true."

"You see, Hazel," Tonks got my attention. I leaned my head back against Harry and sighed softly, just appreciating the feeling of his warm embrace. "One of the things we spoke with Arthur and Harry about is... legal custody over you and your brother."

"You... you're adopting me?"My eyes widened and I instantly turned to Remus. I don't entirely understand why I began crying, I just did. "No way... you mean- you mean I get parents again...?"

"Yes!" Remus smiled. "I'm assuming you're on board with this?"

"Definitely!" I scoffed and stood up to hug him. He pulled me into his arms and tightly embraced me.

"Thank you," I whispered into Remus' tan jacket. "Thank you so much."

Remus pulled away and wiped a few tears from my cheek. "This isn't anything you have to thank us for. I've always thought you were different when I first taught you in my class. Tell me, has Harry taught you how to conjure a patronus?"

"He has," I smiled when I felt Harry's arms wrap around me from behind. "You wanna know what it is?"

"Obviously," Remus scoffed.

"It's a doe," Harry kissed my cheek. "Our patronuses are a pair."

"Are they?!" Remus gasped. "Harry, just like your parents' patronuses!"

"Oh," Tonks placed a hand on her chest. "You two found each other so young."

"Means you're soulmates. Meant to be together," Remus explained. "As cliche as that sounds."

"That's what we guessed," Harry grinned. "They're quite spectacular when they're conjured together. We'd show you, but..."

"No magic outside of Hogwarts," Remus nodded. "Good man."

"Well," I sighed a little. "You... you two are my parents now. Adopted parents."

"We are," Remus smiled. "Not too much will change right away. You're welcome to stay at our place for breaks now, you can write to us during term. And, well, you have parents again."

"It's the best Christmas gift I could have ever received," I told them. "Thank you both."

"You're welcome. Though, you don't have to thank us."

"Remus," Tonks rubbed his arm. "We should get going. It's dark."

Remus nodded. "As we should. Let's go say our goodbyes."

The two of them said their goodbyes to us, then we followed them upstairs. Harry and I kept going up the stairs to our shared bedroom.

"So, that went a lot better than I had expected," Harry admitted. "Which I guess is a good thing."

"It is," I told him. "It means a lot that you're here for me, Harry. Truly."

"I always will be," We stopped midway up the stairs at a landing next to the window. He pulled me into him by my hips and I grabbed his face in a kiss. Then we hugged and swayed a little. Just holding each other. "I'll always be here for you. Whether you need me or you don't."

"I think I'll always need you, Harry," I said. "Honestly. It's difficult for me to go a day without speaking to you."

"I feel the same way," He pulled back and placed his forehead against mine. "I wanted to apologize for what happened after Slughorn's party. When I got frustrated with you."

"I'm over it," I softly smiled. "I understand you're just trying to protect me. And I appreciate it. But... Harry I do have to talk to you about... what happened after you left me in the hallway."

He pulled back and gave me a concerned look. "What happened? Did someone hurt you?"

"No, no," I placed my hands on his chest, I felt how tense he suddenly was. "I promise. I'm okay. No one hurt me. I found someone else hurting and I helped... him."

"Him?" Harry's eyes widened, but we both looked out of the window when a bright orange light shone through it. We saw the wheat fields surrounding the Burrow erupt into flames in a circle. Harry turned and ran down the stairs. I followed after him.

Remus, Tonks, Arthur, and Molly were standing at the door watching in shock. And it wasn't until a black ball of smoke materialized into Bellatrix Lestrange in front of the fire that Harry shoved past the adults and chased after her.

"Harry!!" I pushed past them as well and jumped through the ring of burning flame to follow Harry. I couldn't let him do this alone. Whatever 'this' was.

"Hazel!! Hazel, come back!!" I heard Remus yell after me.

Harry was running so fast into the swampy fields that I lost track of where he went. I soon found myself alone in the field. I heard more whooshes of Death Eaters arriving in the field and I panicked. I drew my wand and held it at the ready.

"Harry?!" I called out. "Harry, where are you?!"

"Hello, pretty thing," A low, gravelly male voice spoke behind me. I immediately turned around to see who it was but the ground below me was soft. I found myself falling onto my back. "Aww... poor pet. You've gotten yourself all dirty! Hopefully the flight over will clean you up a bit!"

"What?!" I yelped when the rather hairy man grabbed my arm, yanked me to my feet, then grabbed me as he lifted his wand to transform into that horrible ball of black smoke. I called out one last desperate cry before I was consumed by the black smoke.

"Harry!!"