A Sliver of Change | S. Black

Part 4: Chapter 7

Part 4:

Chapter 7 –

(TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter contains graphic torture and sexual assault. PLEASE read at your own advisory. It is a very dark chapter so I will give a spark note of what happened during it at the very end, so scroll all the way down to read if that is what you choose. Also please scroll down to read the author's note at the end!)

March 8th, 1998

"I told you!" Sirius hissed, shaking soot from his messy hair, "I told you that it didn't feel right going there."

Lia sighed as she waved her wand lightly over Ron's arm, shooting him an apologetic smile as he hissed, "Xenophilius used to be a friend Sirius, how was I supposed to know that he would betray us?"

Harry stepped up to grab the bag from Lia's shoulder, giving her more room to heal the injury on Rons' arm, "besides, we all agreed that it would be best to find out what he knew," Harry cut in.

Sirius growled out angrily, his foot kicking a rock across the field they walked in, and Lia was grateful when Hermione stepped up to place a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Can you blame him Sirius?" She asked lightly, "wouldn't you do anything to get your child back from Dumbledore?"

Lia frowned at the reminder hoping beyond doubt that Luna was okay wherever she was. The young girl was no danger to anyone but the death eaters that took her wouldn't care about that miniscule detail. They would do anything to get a hold of Harry and their gang.

It had been a tiresome day already, the five of them narrowly escaping death eaters after being betrayed by Xenophilius. They had all decided collectively as a group after weeks of coming up with nothing, that he might be the best person to get answers from, and they partially did. Xenophilius had told them the story that Octavia used to read her and James during their childhood, the one with the three brothers, and although she had heard it many times before, she never would have originally connected it to the elder wand. Hermione was against the idea, stating that the brothers and the Peverell's connection to it was a hoax, but Lia knew in her gut that it was all real. Harry had the blasted cloak for Merlin's sake, which meant that every other item had the potential of being as powerful as her family's heirloom was.

Her heart clenched as she remembered what each of them said they would use if they had a chance. Ron chose the wand (no surprise there), Hermione and Sirius the cloak, and Lia and Harry had both chosen the stone.'

"Why the stone?" Ron asked, his curious glance falling beneath the two Potters.

Harry shrugged, "Well, you could bring people back, couldn't you? Dumbledore, Mad-eye, my parents."

Both had the same answer in mind and Lia remembered the sad smile he gave her, only moments before the horrors of the day started. Xenophilius had then walked back into the room, the cups of tea clattering about his shaky hands as he screamed out the one name that Ron had warned them was now a vice for Voldemort to use when needed.

They had managed to get out of the destruction, having to fight a few death eaters and not leaving without a few scrapes, but she couldn't say the same for the Lovegood household. She just hoped the Xenophilius would be okay, even if he had tried to sell them out.

"He tried to harm my family Hermione, my family," Sirius sneered, anger still written on his face, "so yes, I am going to be livid at the crazy twat."

Despite the warmth she felt fill her at his words, she released a tired sigh as Ron's arm looked brand new, patting him on the shoulder after he voiced his thanks and walked over to a frustrated Sirius.