The Daughter of Sirius Black

Chapter 67

Harry, Hermione, Ron, Leona and the twins sat alone in the common room, Fred lying on Leona's lap as she played with his hair, and they listened to Fudge's voice over the radio talk about recent wizarding disappearances. Disappearances that he blamed on her father, "Notorious mass murderer, Sirius Black," Fudge had called him.

And then the radio exploded.

"Sorry," Leona said as they all looked at her. "It happens sometimes," she explained.

"You should've seen her the other day when Umbridge talked smack about Sirius in front of her," George said.

"She shattered all the windows in the Great Hall," Fred explained, the younger trio grinning at her.

"It was an accident!" she pouted as she smacked Fred's shoulder, the boy rolling in her lap.

"A hilarious accident," George said from the armchair adjacent to them and Leona threw a pillow at him.

"Rose! Harry!" then called a familiar voice as Fred sat up and Harry made his way around to the fire where his godfather's face appeared.

"Sirius! What are you doing here?!" Harry asked.

"Answering your letters of course. What's Umbridge doing? Training you to kill half-breeds?" he asked sarcastically as Hermione and Ron joined Fred on the couch.

"Sirius she's not letting us use magic at all!" Harry complained.

"I'm not surprised. Latest intelligence is that Fudge doesn't want either of you trained in combat," Sirius answered.

"What does he think? That we're forming some sort of wizard army?" Ron asked.

"That's exactly what he thinks. That Dumbledore is amassing forces to take over the Ministry. He's becoming more paranoid by the minute."

"Dad, Umbridge is after me personally. She thinks that if she can get to me, she can get to you," Leona informed and her father sighed.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but Rose, keep Fred glued to your side. Do not let her catch you alone, it will always be her word over yours and she will win. You cannot let that happen. Or carry something with you that helps you make a quick getaway," Sirius advised. "Both you boys, you take care of my girl, do you hear me?" he said to the twins who nodded grimly.

"Sir, Lena's having trouble controlling her wandless magic lately. Anytime someone slanders you around her something explodes," Fred said.

"Rose, listen to me," Sirius said and the girl moved closer to the fire, the heat tickling her skin. "What were those words that your Uncle Remus always says?"

"Words can only hurt you if you let them," Leona huffed, knowing where this was going as her father smirked.

"I don't think I need to say any more on the matter but, focus on the things that make you happy Rose," he said as she clutched the locket around her neck. "Now, the others don't want me to tell you this, not even you Rose, but things aren't going well in the Order."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"These disappearances are only the beginning. That's what happened last time. And with fudge blocking the truth at every turn...Voldemort is on the move," Sirius said gravely.

"What can we do? How can we help?" Harry asked eagerly before a noise sounded in the distance, a knock on the common room door.

"Someone's coming! I'm sorry I couldn't have been of more help, but for now, at least, it looks like you're on your own."

"I love you, dad," Leona said quickly before the fire dimmed and her father was gone.

She said those words every time she spoke to him just in case they were the last and he was discovered and sent back to Azkaban.

"He really is out there, isn't he?" Hermione said as she stood at the window, lightning flashing outside it as thunder boomed. "We've got to be able to defend ourselves. And if Umbridge won't teach us, then we need someone who will."

Leona sat on Fred's lap as they considered her words.

And their eyes went from Harry to Leona.

This was either brilliant, or extremely stupid.