The Daughter of Sirius Black

Chapter 109

"LENA!" Harry shouted when she appeared on the beach, Hermione in Ron's arms as Harry knelt on the sand with a wounded Dobby in his arms. "Lena help me! Please!" Harry begged and she crashed to his side.

Her hands were raised, ready to perform a spell, but Dobby stopped her, his tiny hand gripped tightly in hers.

"Such a beautiful place....to be with friends," Dobby said softly, and a tear spilled from Leona's eye. "Dobby is happy to be with his friends. Dobby is...."

But he never got to finish.

Dobby never got to finish his sentence as his body stilled in Harry's arms and Leona pulled her brother's head to her shoulder.

"He's free. Dobby is free," she whispered to him before Luna knelt beside them.

"We should close his eyes," she said simply, her voice nothing but even and comforting as Harry nodded, and Luna gently pushed Dobby's eyelids down. "There. Now he could be sleeping," she said as Harry sobbed into his sister's shoulder, still not letting go of Dobby.

"I want to bury him," Harry blurted as he lifted his head up. "Properly. Without magic."

"Then we will," Leona promised. "Luna, would you mind going inside to fetch a blanket?"

"Of course," the girl said as she headed over to the cottage.

"Ron, when Luna comes back, help Harry dig, I need to deal with Hermione."

"With what?" Ron asked.

"She knows what," Leona said, looking at Hermione who stared at the ground, her left arm, hugged tightly to her body. "We'll be right back," she promised as she kissed Harry's head before leading her inside.

"Rosalee," Fred sighed in relief as he hugged her and for a moment all seemed right in the world.

"Hi, Freddy. Hey, did you bring my bag like I asked?"

He nodded. "Of course," he said as he went to pick it up from the table he'd left it on and handed it to her, Leona having moved so she and Hermione could sit on the sofa in the little cottage.

"What's that?" Hermione asked as she held her arm, watching as Leona pulled a small bottle out of her purse, the bag similar to the one Hermione had that the Snatchers took.

"It may have taken 3 years, but I finally got the recipe right to undo the hex from Umbridge's quills completely," Leona grinned as she unstoppered the bottle. "There's a slight sting to it but otherwise it's pretty painless. And I don't have to do it if you don't want me to, but I think you deserve better than having to have that disgusting word scarred on your arm forever."

"Forever?" Hermione questioned, confused as she thought the scar was going to have to heal naturally.

"Knowing my aunt, her blade was likely hexed. Any scars made with it would be permanent. This potion can undo that, like it can undo Umbridge's hex, but again, only if you want me to. It's your body, your choice."

Hermione's eyes glanced from her arm to Fred and Leona looked up at him.

"Freddy, can you give us a minute. I think the boys might need some help outside."

Fred, seeing that Hermione was a little uncomfortable with him here only nodded. "Sure," he said as he pecked Leona's lips before walking from the room, Bill and Fleur already upstairs as they situated Ollivander and Griphook.

Hermione's arm shook as she slowly pulled up her sleeve, exposing the still-raw wound that read mudblood.

"So," Leona began as she filled the dropper up. "Has Ron finally got it through his thick head and asked you out yet?" she asked, in an attempt to distract Hermione from her trauma.

She gave a small smile.

"Not directly. But he did face Bellatrix Lestrange to try and save me, so, that's something I guess," Hermione admitted as Leona's touch was feather-light as she held Hermione's arm and aimed the dropper.

"Tell me about it. He almost ruined my rescue plan because of it."

Hermione had braced herself for the pain, but she didn't even feel it as the first drop landed on her wound.

"How did you know we were there anyway? Did Harry summon you?" Hermione asked curiously.

Leona was focused on Hermione's arm as she answered, eyes never straying from her task.

"Oh, someone summoned me, but it wasn't Harry. It was Draco."

Hermione's mouth gaped and closed and as she floundered for a response.

"Draco Malfoy helped us?"

It was then that Leona looked up.

"My cousin is not as bad as he seems. Helping you and Harry and Ron was the first choice he's made for himself in a long time," Leona defended gently before she returned her attention to Hermione's arm, the word blood all that was left.

"It's just a little hard to wrap my head around after all he's done to us," Hermione admitted.

"I understand that. Just cut him some slack is all I ask. It wasn't his choice to have the Dark Mark branded on him, nor to help kill Dumbledore. Freddy is helping me work on a potion to try and remove it."

"How is he handling being away from George?" Hermione asked and Leona chuckled.

"Funnily enough, they're both fine. Angelina's family are half-bloods, so they joined George in hiding back at the Joke store, it's closed and covered in like a million protection spells, so they're very safe. And while they were hiding, they got back together. So, while Fred is helping me with you guys, George is hooking up with his ex-girlfriend. Well, now girlfriend, I suppose."

Hermione let out a small laugh at that.

"Those Weasley's sure have their priorities straight," she joked, and Leona laughed as she screwed the stopper back into the bottle.

"You've got that right. And I'm all done."

Hermione pulled her arm back, running her hand over the now flawless skin. You'd never be able to tell that there was ever a wound there.

"Thank you, Lena," Hermione said as the older girl slid the bottle back into her bag and she smiled.

"Anytime. And as soon as this war is over, I'm going to help you with your other problem."

Her eyes widened.

"How did you know about my parents?"

"Because I know you 'Mione. That and Harry let it slip before Bill's wedding."

She only smiled as she shook her head at the thought of her friend before moving to hug Leona.

"Thank you, Lena, truly. For everything."

Leona kissed her head.

"My pleasure."