ATHENE {remus lupin}

SIX

Sirius had been annoyed by the sound of knocking at five o'clock in the morning. Living in the headquarters of the order certainly had its perks, but being woken up while it was still dark outside was a brutal reminder of the downsides. Part of him had felt that he ought to just let Moony deal with it, he was nocturnal (sometimes) after all. 

He had heard the latch open but nothing past that. He sighed and pulled on a jumper and went down to see what had silenced Moony. 

Standing on the doorstep, looking utterly disheveled was Athene Malfoy. The daughter of the most vile man he ever knew, and possibly his first cousin.

 He stared at her before speaking. She reminded him of Narcissa Black, but Sirius sensed that there was more evil to this woman than there ever was in her mother. She looked dreadful. Almost coated in blood. He had the urge to murder her right on the spot where she stood. This woman was a murderer. 

"You," he hissed at her.

Athene stared back and him and didn't say anything.

"Give me your wand Moony," he barked at his friend. Remus looked back at him with a questioning look on his face, perhaps wanting to prevent a murder, he didn't respond.

"Moony I'm not joking give me your wand right now," Sirius said, his voice raising.

When his friend didn't comply, Sirius walked up to him and snatched it from his pocket. He grabbed the girl by her arm and she winced. He didn't care. Before Remus or Athene could do anything Sirius' wand was jabbing into her neck. She showed no emotion. 

"I should fucking kill you," Sirius growled at her, "murderer."

Athene looked back at him blankly. She truly had no idea if Sirius was being genuine and whether she actually was about to be killed. Truthfully, she wasn't sure if she minded. Her life was certainly nothing to be excited about. "Draco." She remembered.

"Go ahead, cousin." She said back to him plainly.

"You are no blood of mine." Sirius responded. 

Remus was watching the encounter closely. He did not want Sirius to become a murderer but had he killed the girl there would have been no bad blood. She was a murderer and she was a death eater. Death was what she deserved. She was almost unrecognizable to the intelligent witch he had taught over two years earlier. He guessed that she must only be twenty or twenty one right now, but behind her eyes she looked so much older. Behind her prominent Malfoy blonde hair and porcelain face, she truly looked like a broken woman.

 There was a huge scar from her forehead down to her chin, it reminded him of his own.

Sirius still had Remus' wand pressed up against Athene's throat. He demanded to know what she was doing on his doorstep. Athene looked around and motioned to the open door. Remus caught her eye and then looked to Sirius, who nodded. The door shut behind them and Sirius dragged her into the kitchen by her arm, ignoring as she winced. 

"I need help." Athene said in a tiny voice.

Remus and Sirius looked at each other. Remus was in shock as Sirius got continuously angry. 

"You hear that Moony? The death eater bitch who murdered her best friend just because of her blood wants our help."

Athene bit the inside of her cheek at the mention of Ashley. She met Sirius' eye confidently and hoped that he didn't see the tears.

"Dumbledore told me to come here."

If Remus had been in a state of shock before this certainly pushed him over the edge. His mouth was hanging open as he looked between his best friend and the bloodied woman.