the sun, the moon, and stars between

nine

the god nephew?

August 2, 1995

  "Where's everyone going?" Eri's voice traveled through the sitting room as Tonks, Alastor, Kingsley, and other witches and wizards she didn't know the names to left through the front door with their brooms.

  "Harry's been attacked, Eri," Sirius said, grumbling about something in the Daily Prophet 

  "By who?"

  "Not a who 'Danus, a what, two whats. Dementors attacked him." Remus answered before sitting on the couch with Sirius, Eridanus had grown to like the werewolf, he was nice to her and often slipped her chocolate even after Sirius told him not to.

  "Is he alright!? Why didn't anyone tell me? Oh my, Merlin-" Eridanus went on a rant about a person she hadn't even met, she was sweet like that, if someone was important to Sirius then they were important to Eri if Sirius didn't like a person (even if it were for the dumbest thing) she refused to even look at them.

  "Star you don't even know Harry, why are you so worried love?" Ryder slipped an arm around the back of Eri's seat, which he promptly removed when Sirius sent a mean glare his way.

  "If he's important to Siri then he's important to me Ry! By the way, you look really peaky, like Remus does around the moon. Oh, Remus! The moon's in two days, would you mind answering some questions about how it feels before the moon at all?" Eridanus had truly come out of her shell lately, maybe it had something to do with her going to Diagon Alley or her new friendship with Hermione, but something changed.

  Ryder shifted slightly before shaking off the reminder of the moon being so close.

  Remus smiled at the eager girl and nodded before going back to consoling Sirius about Harry. Eri pulled out her notebook and a muggle pen that Hermione gave her and wrote a reminder in the margin on a page surrounding the full moon and days leading up to it. She had taken a large interest in werewolves and properly documenting what pain they truly go through and how hurtful mainstream media is towards them.

  Ryder looked at Eridanus adoringly as she wrote in her neat writing on the lined page. Remus told him it was best not to tell her about his furry little problem just yet but the teen just wanted her to know. He wanted the attention that she gave Remus. He wanted her wide eyes and invasive questions to be directed towards him.

  Eridanus was completely clueless and everyone in 12 Grimmauld Place knew that.

  Albus informed the adults that the meeting was about to start and that they should be in the kitchen soon. Eridanus and Ryder along with all of the Weasley children attempted to sneak into the kitchen before the meeting started, Hermione stayed behind because she knew better, especially after the scolding she and the Weasleys had gotten from Molly the night before.

  "Eridanus."
 
  "Sirius?"

  "Out. Now."

  "But-"

  "You too, Ryder. Weasleys, your best survival option is to leave before your mother catches you." Remus nodded towards the door and all the teens but Eri filed out.

  "Why can't I be in here? I'm quiet! You know that Siri, I always sneak up on you even when I don't mean it. And I won't tell the other kids I promise! And-" Sirius pulled Eri into a tight embrace

  "You have already grown up too much. Go be a teenager Eri, out of the kitchen, an hour is all I ask, then you can barge in here and be as nosy as you want." He whispered into her ear before letting her go and pushing her towards the door.

  Sirius had no idea how she had been before their mother died but he knew that she got to be a child. For five years she got to be a child. And then she was forced to grow up way too fast. Burying your mother at five, raising yourself with little to no help from the one living thing said mother left you with. No one should have to live that way, but she did. For ten years she did. It was her turn to be a kid, to be rebellious, get into trouble, hell, he might just send her a letter saying how proud he was of all the chaos she should cause. Sirius loved his sister, wanted everything for her. If she asked him to kill someone he would. Without question.

  But would she do the same?

  Eridanus would give her life for Sirius, if he had asked her to the week after they met, hell no! But now that she knows him, and cares for him. Of course, she would die for him. She would kill for him. She would kill Hermione if she was forced to choose between her brother and one of her only friends.

  And she knew that Sirius would do the same. He would never have to say it.

  Ron, Hermione, Ryder, and Eri all sat in Ron and Ryder's room, Ryder and Eridanus on one bed and Hermione and Ron on the other. Both girls reading, Eri occasionally wrote something down in her notebook, and both guys spoke about a recent quidditch game. The door opened about fifteen minutes later, Hermione barreled into the person exclaiming something about Dumbledore

  "Let the man breathe 'Mione" Ron laughed

  "Ryder! How have you been mate I've gotten all your owls, sorry I haven't responded." So that was Harry, the famous Harry Potter, he could use some meat on his bones.

  "Ah it's alright, someone has been keeping me busy, the know it all" Ryder chuckled to himself, he moved out of the way to reveal a petite girl, almost too skinny for her own good if you didn't know her, the girl's hair was perfect, her eyes too, everything about her was perfection. She was obviously related to Sirius.

  "Hello, I'm Harry." The Boy Who Lived stuck his hand out to the last unmarried and undisowned Black

  "I'm Eridanus, or Eri, or 'Danus if you want to shorten it." She was just as awkward as Harry at first, both of them having weird grins on their faces as they shook hands and asked each other things to get to know them. Turns out eleven years in a cupboard under the stairs and ten alone in the house hidden by the unpure and traitorous can have similarities unmatched by anyone else.

  When Ryders watch set off at an hour from the alarm that Eridanus put on it, she raced down the stairs and banged on the kitchen doors.

  "An hour already? Time flys Eri! Give me just another-" Eri pushed past her brother and sat at the table next to Remus who gave her a slightly disapproving look when Sirius and Molly looked over but a very discreet high-five when they went back to the meeting.

  "Black." The man Eridanus would come to know as Severus Snape drawled out. "Why should a child be here. It is entirely idiotic to have her here, are you that incapable-" The Blacks had a habit of cutting people off mid insult. In this case, Eri chucked a torn-off piece of a roll at the man's head to shut him up, effectively making Sirius laugh and Remus cover a smile with his hand.

  "Refrain from insulting my brother please."

  "Control the child Black or I will."

  "I'd like to see you try you greasy-haired, sniveling, git!" Eridanus and Sirius both drew their wands at the same time that Snape had.

  "Alright. I think that is enough for tonight. Molly would you so kindly get the children down here for dinner while I take care of these too." Remus said through gritted teeth. Eri shrunk down into her chair and Sirius only put his wand away. Both looking like kicked puppies.

  "Well Eri, you ready to meet your god nephew?" Sirius smiled at the pouting teen. Both siblings were too alike for their own good.

  "God Nephew?"