Life After Death - An Erica Black Continuation (4)

Fifty Two

"A fourth attack, three muggles killed in, what the Prophet is calling, a freak explosion." Erica Black raged in the kitchen of Black manor, throwing down the folded paper onto the table. Remus sipped his tea silently whilst Marlene rolled her eyes, glancing at the headline before speaking; "A freak explosion? There's been three 'freak explosions' since April. What are they playing at?" She grumbled disbelievingly.
Erica shrugged, "Damage control, most likely. They know a pattern is emerging. They're trying to manage the level of fear their paper is going to produce in the general public. Don't forget, we mostly experienced the Daily Prophet under the penmanship of Rita Skeeter, that is not the modern Prophet." She elaborated, Remus nodded and her father rolled his eyes;
"That's true. She was a God awful woman, that Rita Skeeter" He growled.
"She was. " Erica nodded her agreement, "A freak explosion, I can't believe this. What is it going to take. False neutrality is propaganda"
"What?" Choked Remus, tea spilling down his shirt as he stifled a laugh at his God-daughter.
"People seem to think that an unbiased piece of work is one that expresses no preference and portrays both sides as equally good and fair. That is not the case, false neutrality is propaganda." Erica spoke quickly and without hesitation whilst the other stared at her with confused looks.
"Where do you get this stuff from? Honestly, you come out with the most bizarre perspectives." Chuckled Regulus from his position, perched on the table.
"I don't know." She shrugged, "I spent a lot of time alone with books as a child, and I am the daughter of a mass murderer and was raised by a werewolf. Maybe I am just bizarre."
"I am not a mass murderer. It was a misunderstanding." Sirius objected indignantly,
"One hell of a misunderstanding." Muttered Erica under her breath, her father glared at her,
"You're telling me." he retaliated. Remus Lupin looked to Marlene, Regulus and Dorcas, none of whom seemed to have any intention of interrupting the argument which was clearly about to happen, in fact, they all appeared to be thoroughly enjoying the impending feud.
"Now now, children. Be nice." He sighed, rubbing his forehead tiredly. Erica was the first of the two to break eye contact, she looked up to her God-father with a hint of guilt, a considerable change from the cold stare she had held for her father. "Yes Mooney.."

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"I want to make sure the school is safe, Mooney. The girls..." Sighed Erica Black, sat in her study with her God-father, where the two of them had gone, leaving their house mates in the kitchen.
"I know, Pup. We are all doing everything we can to make sure the girls will be okay." He tried to reassure her. There was a moment of thick, heavy silence across the room, even the paintings seemed to hold their breath.
"I know.." She said softly, placing a hand lightly on her bump and leaning back in her chair. "But it'll never feel like enough." The sandy haired man grimaced knowingly;
"Trust me, I know.." He nodded, looking at her with an expression which she couldn't quite seem to place. "When the world is falling apart, you'll do anything to protect your children."
"Teddy..." She breathed, he nodded.
"Yes, Teddy. But also you, it was always you Pup. You know I always saw you as my own."
"I know Mooney, I know. I always saw you as a father figure as well." she gave him a watery smile, reaching out across her desk to take her God-father's hand.
"I think you need to take this to McGonagall, Erica. Let her know, let her prepare. If there is to be a third war, Hogwarts will doubtlessly be the epicentre." He said, lightly squeezing the witch's hand. She stood abruptly, her brow furrowed into a disapproving look as she replied heatedly.
"It will not. I won't allow it. This war can take whatever it wants but it will not touch my school."
"You cannot gain control over a war, Erica." The man smiled at his God-daughter, shaking his head fondly. She shook her own head defiantly at the man. A soft smirk resting on her lips.
"I shan't need to Remus. I have no intention of losing control in the first place."

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"Where do you suppose Draco is?" asked Willow Black quietly, barely glancing up from her homework, she sat at a small, isolated table in the Hogwart's library with her twin sister who replied hesitantly; "What do you mean?"
"Well, he isn't working here anymore, he isn't living at home anymore.. Usually mum talks to us about strange things when they happen... He just disappeared." She whispered, glancing over her shoulder in case Miss Pince was loitering about. Charlotte rolled her eyes at her twin who, despite being considerably smarter than her, couldn't read people the same way she could books. That was one thing she had always been better at than Willow: people.
"He has not." she huffed, "Do you know who that woman is with the brown hair, the one who left the same day he did?" Willow nodded absentmindedly before furrowing her brow. Her sister noticed the way she was rubbing her fingertips together beside her forgotten pen and reached out to place her own hand over them, stilling them. Willow looked up at her twin and hesitated briefly before asking, quietly; "What do you mean, who is she?"
"Astoria Greengrass..." Willow looked at her twin blankly, "Scorpius's mother?" Lottie tried again, her sister's expression remained just as confused, "His wife!" Lottie exclaimed, exasperated.
"Mum's his wife" Willow replied slowly,
"Oh, don't be so thick!" Charlotte rolled her eyes again, "He's a widow, Wills. Mum was his second wife. And now, his dead wife is back and he's-" Willow cut her off,
"Disappeared with her." she whispered. Lottie nodded solemnly,
"Exactly."