Extraordinary (Sign it Series; BOOK 2)

Chapter 52

Maddy and Darienne sat on the floor beside Sirius as he fed Buckbeak. Maddy normally never spent any time with the hippogryph living in the attic; in fact, she often forgot about it until she heard a scratch against the ceiling at odd hours of the night, but Sirius had practically begged his goddaughter to spend time with him. Dari decided that she hadn't wanted to stay alone downstairs with just Kreacher for company and decided to follow the pair.

Dari had a knack for magical creatures, it seemed, and the hippogryph took an immediate liking to the young girl once she bowed. Maddy, on the other hand, did not have a knack with hippogryphs. Buckbeak refused to acknowledge her, even when she bowed. At least it was better than being attacked, Maddy conceded.

Toss the meat, Sirius signed to Dari as she approached Buckbeak with a dead rat in hand. Maddy had joked that it was Wormtail that Dari held, and received a bark of laughter from Sirius. It was nice to imagine. Maddy could still sometimes see Peter Pettigrew's rat-like hands reaching out to her as she clung to Sirius like a little monkey. She wasn't sure why she had decided to trust Sirius at that moment, but little her had, and she didn't regret the decision one bit. If she had, she wouldn't be watching him coax Dari into tossing a dead rat at a hippogryph.

The young girl squealed as she tossed the meat and scrambled back to Maddy. Blood dripped down Dari's arms like cobwebs, but she didn't seem to notice through her laughter. Sirius did though and walked over to Dari with a rag in hand and gently wiped her arms.

Sirius stepped back to see if he had missed a spot and draped the rag over his arm so he could sign. Wash up.

Darienne nodded and sprinted out of the room towards the bathroom. Maddy watched her retreating figure with a monotone expression.

"Is everything alright, Maddy?"

Maddy snapped her head towards her godfather before nodding.

"Good," Sirius smiled, he grabbed Maddy's wrist and pulled her out of the room in the attic where Buckbeak resided. "I'm here to talk if you need to."

Maddy pulled her wrist out of Sirius's grasp. She's going to Hogwarts next year. She knew Dari was magical, Dumbledore had alluded to it the day she had first met the Lomen siblings, and in the months since April she had seen a few bouts of accidental magic from the younger girl. I'll be alone.

Sirius's expression was mixed with pity, so much so Maddy had begun to regret signing anything. "You won't be alone, Maddy. First, you'll be back at Hogwarts before you know it-"

Not with Umbridge there.

"She'll be gone." Sirius said with finality in his tone, "And even if you couldn't go back, which we will make sure you do, you'll have me. I'm not going anywhere."

Maddy gave a soft smile. I wish I was at school.

Sirius's eyes gleamed with unshed tears. "I know you do, Moonlight." He looked like he wanted to say more but was interrupted by his mother's screaming portrait.

Is Dad back already? I thought he would be back at dinner?

"I'm not sure," Sirius started down the hallway, "But we'll find out soon enough."

■□~□■

Normally, Maddy was rather impartial towards Kreacher. He didn't really bother her much, besides the occasional rude word about her parentage under his breath, but now, she decided she loathed the house elf. Screw whatever spew stuff Hermione had going on, if she expected Maddy to respect the cackling elf that basically told Harry that Sirius was as good as dead and made Snape come over to elaborate, she had another thing coming. Snape had already sent a patronus to the rest of the Order to hurry up and come to Headquarters and they stood in the hallway waiting for their arrival.