The pain of last year hasn't been forgotten, as Valentina Black wishes. She has already lost her mother and sister, but now she has to live with the grief of losing Cedric Diggory.
Will she lose more of the people she loves and cares so much for? O...
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I sit silently at the table in the House of Black, with my eyes fixed on my hands resting in front of me while my thoughts stay silent as everyone around me talks about some bullshit. Suddenly a few more people walk into the room, and I glance up to the doorway as Arthur shushes everyone, but my father continues to ramble on about something and I roll my eyes at him.
You would think that I would get along with him like I did with my mother, right? Turns out that he barely wants to speak a word to me for whatever reason. I arrived here a few days ago after Remus found me. Once I left Hogwarts, I got the first train to London and couch-surfed at different places until Remus dragged me here, 'worried' about my 'behavior'. That could be why my father is in a mood with me because he found out that I was spending more time at muggle parties than sleeping.
I never actually coped with the passing of my mother and sister, so I guess Cedric passing, tipped me past no return. I don't think I've been sobered once since leaving Hogwarts. Even now I'm high as hell and everyone knows it, but no one has dared to say a word about it. Instead, they all look at me like I'm a broken doll that can't be fixed and honestly, even I don't think I can be fixed.
"Harry Potter," I hear my father saying and I drag my eyes up to watch him for my seat as Harry runs into his open arms and they both laugh.
I scoff at the love and pride my father has toward Harry. He doesn't even look at me like that and I'm his own daughter.
"Hi, Tina," Monie says, and I turn my head, watching her walk over to me. "How have you been?"
"She doesn't talk much," My father's voice cuts through the room, and I turn my head to him, rolling my eyes. "And she has an attitude."
No one says a word as the tension grows thick and they all take their seats, Hermione sitting beside me and grabbing my hand. If it was anyone else, I would have pushed them away.
"This is very, very peculiar. It seems that your hearing at the Ministry is to be before the entire Wizenagamot," Arthur starts to say as I look at Tonks who has made herself look like a pig.
"I don't understand. What has the Ministry of Magic got against me?" Harry asks and I look over at his worried face.
"You might as well show him. He'll find out soon anyway," I state, looking Father dead in the eyes.
Everyone goes silent and watches me and then Harry as Kingsley hands him the Daily Prophet.
"He's been attacking Dumbledore as well," My father says, and the room goes silent again. "Fudge is using all his power, including his influence at the Daily Prophet, to smear anyone who claims the Dark Lord has returned."
"Why?" Harry asks while still reading.
"The minister thinks Dumbledore is after his job," My Uncle Remus explains, looking annoyed.
"But that's insane, no one in their right mind could believe that Dumbledore-"
"That's exactly the point. Fudge isn't in his right mind. It's been twisted and wrapped by fear. Now fear makes people do terrible things, Harry. The last time Voldemort gained power, he almost destroyed everything we hold most dear. Now he has returned, and I'm afraid the Minister will do almost anything to avoid facing that terrifying truth," Remus cuts him off and I look at my father who is already looking at me.
My father looks away from me and turns back to Harry. "We think Voldemort wants to build up his army again. 14 years ago, he had huge numbers at his command, and not just witches and wizards but all manner of dark creatures. He's been recruiting heavily, and we've been attempting to do the same. But gathering followers isn't the only thing he's interested in. We believe Voldemort may be after something."
"Sirius," Moody gives him a look as if to say stop talking which makes the room tense as the silence cuts deep into our ears.
"Something he didn't have last time," My father says, ignoring Moody.
"You mean, like a weapon?" I look at Harry and he looks like he already knows the answer to the question he just asked.
"No. That's enough," We all turn our gaze to Molly who looks mad and upset as she storms up to Harry's chair. "He's just a boy! You say much more and you might as well induct him into the Order straightaway," She picks up the Daily Prophet and holds it. Father looks annoyed of course.
"Good, I want to join. if Voldemort's raising an army, then I want to fight!" Harry exclaims and Monie grips my hand tighter.
Father claps his hands together and sits back as if he's impressed that Harry wants to join his fan club for Voldemort or whatever it is. I haven't exactly spent much time caring for what this all is.
Everyone stays quiet and that's how it stays until slowly one by one everyone goes off on their own.
I stay at the table, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it without a care for the disapproving looks both my father and Remus send me.
"Why are you acting like this?" My father asks as I exhale the smoke. "Your mother wouldn't be okay with this."
I shrug my shoulders, not even glancing at him. "She's dead, so what does it matter?" Remus flinches at my words but I continue on, "My only sister is dead. The first boy I loved is dead. Everyone dies around me so it's only a matter of time before I'm next."
My father slams his hands on the table making Remus swear and sit back. "You will not die, Valentina." I take another drag from my smoke and continue to stare at the wall as he goes on, "I am sorry that you have lost the ones you care about, but this attitude will not fix you."
"Who says I want to be fixed?" I snap and look at him. "What if I like this part of me? The new me that can't feel a damn thing. The new me that doesn't have a care for anything that could hurt me more."
"This isn't how you should live your life," he says softly, and I put out my smoke. "You should be having fun with your friends. You should be enjoying life."
I stand up and stare at him. "It's called surviving. I'll enjoy my life when I can stop fighting for the next day."
They both stay silent and without another word or glance, I walk out of the dining room and up the stairs, pulling out a joint from my pocket.
