One Step Ahead part I | Sirius Black

Chapter 171

The Veela stares silently at the boy standing in front of her, his face twisted in an expression of surprise. Maybe a hint of horror.

He looks as if he's seen a ghost. Perhaps she reminds him of a few.

Her heart stings at the thought and she quickly reaches out, her voice wavering as she says quietly, "Andrei."

He flinches when her hand wraps around his wrist. She nearly expects him to shake her off, but then he's grabbing onto her other arm and pulling her close, his arms thrown around her tightly.

Gwen clenches her eyes shut at the action, holding him just as strongly as she tries to forget the kindness of the group of boys she'd met last time she was in Bulgaria. The group of boys she was certain had fallen prey to death eaters.

Andrei looked different than last time, his hair shorter and his face thinner. Last time she'd thought he looked like Sirius. Today, he looks like a broken boy that was looking for anything to anchor him to his new reality.

His body shakes, caving into her as he weeps freely in front of the Veela and her confused friends. Dumbledore watches on curiously, Gregorovitch looking far more apprehensive.

"Gwin," He mumbles again, like he can't believe that he's holding onto her. That she's here. The boys hadn't forgotten her. He hadn't.

"Andrei, I'm so sorry," Gwen murmurs in reply, leaning back to stare up at his tear streaked face. He just shakes his head, his accent thick with emotion as he says lowly, "I-It's just me and Nikola now."

Gwen sucks in a sharp breath, surprised by her response to the death of the group of boys. They were strangers. But they were strangers that had reminded her of home.

"A woman saved us, Gwin," Andrei whispers, his eyes round. "With magic."

Gwen winces when she hears the scraping sound of chairs behind her. She risks peering over her shoulder and finds that Mykew looks distressed, his eyes flickering up and down the street. She hesitates before saying to him gently, "Go. I'll write to you."

The wandmaker looks at her nervously, his eyes flickering to the muggle boy holding her hands. He wouldn't risk staying here any longer, not in the company of Dumbledore and the Veela. Too dangerous. He nods quickly before hurrying away from the shade of the cafe's canopy, disappearing around a street corner. Gwen's lips twitch when she hears a faint but familiar 'pop' in the distance.

"Nikola married her. They're having a baby,"

The words earn her full attention again, her brows quirking in surprise. Andrei grins slightly and nods, leaning in to mumble in her ear, "She's not very nice, but she did save my life."

Gwen laughs, her head tilting back. It was good to see him, hear his voice. She was certain that the people she would come into contact in this war wouldn't make it out alive. She was glad she'd been wrong.

Her cheeks warm at the soft look Andrei is giving her, his eyes tracing her face before the clearing of a throat interrupts them. The boy peers over her head as she turns to face Dumbledore. Her face grows warmer under his quizzical stare and it only gets worse when Andrei mumbles close to her ear, "Is this your...."

"Grandfather," Gwen says cheekily, earning a displeased look from the wizard. Dumbledore finally speaks, his lips twitching despite the firmness to his tone as he says, "We should be going, Gwen."

Gwen nods and moves to separate herself from her friend. She falls short when his hand grows tighter around her wrist. She turns back to him and finds fear shining in his eyes as he pleads, "Don't go yet. Come see Nikola. Please, Gwin, the house isn't far."

The Veela glances back at Dumbledore, and she wants to say no because she doesn't like the knowing smile on his face. But she wanted to see Nikola too, see that he was alive and safe and still as silly as he'd been last time.

"Okay," She says simply, and then they're off, Andrei guiding her and Dumbledore down the streets of the Bulgarian town. They happen upon a narrow cobbled street, winding their way up until the stones turn to a dirt path. It leads straight to the crooked stoop of a very tall and narrow home. It looks as if it should have a house on either side to support it, but it stands alone with dark green shutters and what Gwen can tell are floral curtains. Certainly not her taste, but to each their own. Dorcas would smack her for even thinking such a thing.

Andrei gestures for them to join him on the stoop, waving them forward. He keeps one hand on Gwen's arm, flashing her a familiar boyish smile. She can't help her own grin, her voice flat as she wonders, "Aren't you going to knock?"

"Da," Andrei says, laughing and using his free hand to bang rather harshly on the door. Gwen glances back at Dumbledore and finds him standing patiently with an unassuming smile on his face. Neither of them sensed any danger.

When the door opens, Gwen smiles faintly at the woman standing next to it. The witch that had saved two of the boys she'd been so worried about. She had long black hair that reaches her swollen belly, her face angular and nearly gaunt. Thick brows that framed her eyes, eyes that looked kind despite the frown settles on her lips. Gwen guessed by the lines around her mouth that the woman was usually frowning.

The woman's eyes drift from Andrei to Dumbledore, her brows furrowing. She parts her lips and steps aside, as if she were going to invite them in. And then she sees Gwen.

She looks almost fearful for a moment, her hand moving to her waist where Gwen was certain her wand lay hidden. But the Veela doesn't move, just smiles in what she hopes is a peaceful gesture. The witch just looks at her, stunned by the presence of the being on her doorstep. Then her face changes, her expression twisting into one of disgust.

"How dare you bring that halfbreed to my home!" The woman hisses, her kind eyes narrowing at Andrei. Gwen rears back as if she's been slapped, stunned by the animosity of the stranger. Andrei bristles and barks something in Bulgarian that Gwen can't understand. The woman suddenly grabs him and pulls him into the house, the two of them yelling things Gwenyth can't understand. And then she hears it.

Filthy. Beast. Whore.

Gwen stares in disbelief at the door inches away from her face, her mind fuzzy from hearing the muffled argument. She can't help the lurch she feels in her stomach, the shame that flames her cheeks.

She'd heard those things before, countless times in countless situations. She'd built up her armor so well that they usually bounced right off of her passiveness. She'd even heard them from other women before. But Andrei had been so kind, so excited to see her. She'd been wrong in expecting everyone to feel the same way. She'd been wrong.

Halfbreed.

Dumbledore's face is one of anger when the Veela turns to face him. He opens his mouth to say something, but Gwen holds up a hand, silencing him easily. She shakes her head, and the wizard can't help but notice the way she's avoiding looking at him when she says, "Let's go."

"Gwenyth—" Her old headmaster starts, voice latent with concern. She cuts him off again, her tone flat as she interrupts, "I'm almost certain we have better things to be doing with the rest of our day than this. Can we skip the well meaning lecture?"

Dumbledore sighs and reluctantly nods, the two stepping down from the stoop. They walk side by side in silence, Gwen's face stony and Dumbledore's full of worry.

They're nearly to the end of the street before she hears faint begging, "Gwin! Gwin, come back!"

This time she doesn't hesitate to keep moving forward. They were strangers after all. Strangers. Halfbreed.

Words had power.

And one could only hear something so many times before they started to believe it.

{{Ninnie <\3}}