The Price of War

There Is Always Trouble

There was something about Diagon Alley that just felt calming and it sure wasn't the lack of noise and people. A day before Hogwarts express left, the Alley was filled with students trying to buy books, wands, and robes. Ollivanders' shop looked filled with exciting first years, hoping to get their hands on a magical wooden stick.

Adeline continued to spin her wand between her fingers while she walked around, admiring all the new collections the shop had added. She saw many similar faces walk by but they didn't stop and say hi. It seemed as if this was not the time to talk to Sirius Black's daughter. Never in 13 years of her life, did she feel so out of place. So forgotten.

She looked around for Hermione. The letter clearly said, they would be meeting in front of Florean Fortescue's but there was no one there. She groaned as she noticed the place was packed with giggling first years, just waiting for their ice cream, admiring their supplies.

From the corner of her eye, she could see a bunch of people with red hair walk by. She smiled and Ran to where her friend Ron Weasley was standing. "Ron!" She yelled, calling his attention. The moment he turned, Adie collided into him and pulled Ron into a hug.

"Bloody hell!" He exclaimed staggering back a couple of steps, but still had his hands wrapped around Adeline's torso. "How've you been, Adie?"

"Brilliant! Hermione didn't tell me you were coming too."

"Who knows with Hermione." Ron shrugged, "She has a habit of telling half-truths sometimes."

"I do not!" Hermione said, hitting Ron's head with the book from her hand.

Adeline laughed. She noticed Harry walking towards them and met his eyes. She sighed in relief. Harry was smiling. No longer crying from shock or isolating himself from friends like he usually did.

"Hey Harry," Adie said cautiously, not wanting to scare him away. She didn't even know if Harry would continue being friends with her after yesterday's news.

In response, Harry smiled brightly and pulled her into a hug before whispering in her ear, "I'm sorry for last night. I shouldn't have just left."

"It's fine," she whispered back.

They turned to face Hermione and Ron who were looking at them with smug smiles. "How long has this been going on?" Hermione asked, pointing between the two of them.

Harry blinked and burst into laughter. "What the hell are you talking about, Mione? We're just friends."

Adeline felt uneasy but quickly agreed, "Yes, exactly. We're best friends and it's not like I didn't hug Ron. I can promise you Hermione I'm not with Ron either."

Hermione nodded, smirking. "Alright Black, don't need to get all defensive on me."

"Black! You're the daughter of a Black!" An old man exclaimed from the corner of the ice cream parlor.

"I am," Adeline said confidently.

"Oh! This world is doomed. Do you know where Sirius Black is hiding? I'm sure you've helped him." He turned his attention to Adeline's friends, "You lot should stay away from her. Who knows when she follows the same footsteps and ends up killing you."

Before Adeline could retort, Harry spoke. "Thank you for that advice sir but I can promise you she is NOTHING like her father."

The man laughed, "That's what they all thought. That's what his best friend James Potter thought. Look where he is now. I went to school with them you know, best of friends, until Black betrayed us. I wouldn't be surprised if Black was there when You-Know-Who showed up at the Potters' doorstep."

Harry looked as if was physically struck, but the emotion quickly disappeared from his face. "I am Harry Potter and you will listen to me when I say that Adeline Lyra Black is nothing like her family."

The man just shook his head and mumbled, "He's not going to live long with friends like her. Oh, what has the Potter name dropped to."

If Adeline bothered to look she would have seen Hermione pull back a furious Ron, dragging him away from the man who looked genuinely scared.

"You alright?" He asked to scan Adeline's face.

"Fine." She mumbled. "Come on, let's get ice cream." She didn't wait for their reply before stalking off.

"What an arse!" Ron exclaimed.

"You alright Harry?" Hermione questioned.

"Brilliant." He said, his eyes already searching through the crowd for Adeline.

"What he said," Hermione asked carefully, "about your parents being dead because of Sirius Black, was that true?"

Harry was hesitant to answer, "Er, he was their best friend and their secret keeper. He gave them up to Voldemort." The family's eyes next to them widened at the name of the Dark Lord.

Hermione gasped, clutching the book in her hands tighter. "No!" she whispered. "You both are alright though? Adeline and You?"

"We're fine," Harry assured her.

"Good." She exhaled in relief, "Let's go find Adie."

They started walking when a black dog with the same grey eyes from yesterday ran into them and started barking. Harry could help but think this dog was following him. The dog grabbed onto Hermione's long cardigan and started pulling her towards the coffee shop in front of the ice cream parlor.

Hermione screamed attempting to pull her cardigan out of the dog's mouth.

"You're taking us somewhere?" Harry asked suddenly.

The dog barked and started running with Harry right behind it. "Well come on then!" He gestured to Ron and Hermione to follow.

The moment they ran around the corner, Harry quickly ducked as a spell flew past him. He could feel the heat on his ears and the tingling that went through his body. He spied Adeline taking on 3 5th year Slytherins.

"Protego!" Harry yelled wand pointed towards the Slytherin with dark brown hair. Even the dog was biting on their enemies' legs causing them to yell out in pain. "Stupify!" Harry groaned in pain as a stinging hex hit him in the arm. His focus got disoriented.

"Are you going to help Malfoy!" Marcus Flint yelled.

Harry's head whipped around to see Malfoy with a raised wand. He could see the guilt in his eyes as he fired a small hex towards Ron. Harry's eyes met with Draco and he nodded in small understanding. He had to play the part. Draco quickly vanished into the shadows.

He could hear Hermione and Ron fighting but his concentration slipped when he saw Adeline get pushed back towards the wall, her wand clattering onto the ground. "No," He whispered, trying to find a way to help her but Ron got there first, "Stupify!" He yelled. He could see Ron help her up, assess her injuries and then hand her wand back.

Just as he was about to fire another spell he saw a man with two faint scars running down his face step and push Hermione and the fifth year apart. "What is going on here!"