New Story in the Nameless Series: Blink
Prologue
One day after the fire at Hogwarts
“Did you see him?” Daniel demanded before Sirius had even closed the door behind him. In response, he sighed and shrugged off his muggle coat with a grunt.
“Siri?” Daniel urged, “Did you see Harry? Lucius hasn’t come back yet but he sent a message to say that he was with Draco.”
“I saw Lucius,” Sirius said finally, exhaustion evident in his voice and posture. “And, yeah, I saw Harry too - for just a little while.”
“And?” Daniel prompted, “Was Albus there? Did he return their magic yet or does he have to wait for Fawkes to regenerate? Or are we to find whoever Voldemort’s possessing first?” He shifted, following Sirius and staying close on his heels as the older man trudged towards the kitchen.
“Cub,” Remus interjected gently as he appeared in the kitchen doorway, “give him a few minutes.” He met Sirius’ eyes for a moment and offered a tired smile. “Tea?” he asked and then tilted his head in contemplation, “Or whisky?”
Sirius sighed again, “Tea first,” he murmured and pressed in against his mate for a moment of comfort and then a kiss. He then turned to look over his shoulder to where Daniel was looking chastised and uncomfortable.
“Come ‘ere,” Sirius said softly and welcomed Daniel into his arms for a close hug. “I’m sorry,” he whispered into Daniel’s hair, “it didn’t go well. Let’s get in and I’ll explain.”
*~*~*
“So... what?” Daniel frowned, leaning across the table after Sirius had told his tale. “The old man’s just going to leave them as muggles? For how long?”
Sirius shrugged and picked up his mug only to find it empty. Without a word, he reached over backwards and snagged the bottle of whisky from the draining board.
Since the fire, since the battle, since... everything else, he, Remus, Daniel and Lucius had moved back into the house in Hogsmeade. At some point, they expected Alison, Jenna and Oscar to move in once more but details had yet to be arranged.
“Albus was less than chatty,” he remarked in response to Daniel’s questions. “He seemed cross that Lucius, Narcissa and I were there - seemed he expected to just continue without challenge or interruption.”
“He can’t do this,” Remus said softly, placing three glasses on the table and then taking the bottle from Sirius to pour.
“He’s doing it; done it.” Sirius countered with an unhappy frown. “He isn’t sharing his plan - like that’s anything unusual! He just said that this was the only way. ‘Can’t have our Nameless Community put at risk, Sirius’” he quoted bitterly and took a hearty swallow of whisky.
“So...” Daniel began tentatively, “where’s Lucius now? Is he still with Draco?”
“No,” Sirius shook his head and offered a sad smile. “He won’t be long. I left him talking to Narcissa; she’s pretty upset about... um”
“Bellatrix.” Daniel finished quietly. He was quiet for a few thoughtful minutes and then straightened in his chair, “I’d do it again,” he said firmly. “She was about to kill you, Siri. I couldn’t let it happen.”
Sirius’ smile this time was a shade brighter, tinged with warm affection and gratitude. “Good. Thank you. If you ask me, you put Bellatrix out of her misery; she’s been insane for years. Narcissa will come around.”
“Right now,” Remus announced, tossing back his drink, “we should get to bed.”
Sirius nodded and stood immediately. Daniel, however, looked over his shoulder to the front door down the hallway.
“I guess I should wait for Lucius to come home,” he began but stopped when Remus moved to touch his arm, encouraging him up onto his feet.
“You come with us,” he said in a no nonsense tone. “Lucius will know where to find you when he gets home.”
Daniel met his Alpha’s gaze and then looked over to where Sirius was smiling at both of them.
“We’ll make a nest of pillows and duvets,” Sirius suggested, “and we’ll leave enough room for Lucius to join us. Now come on, cub - before I fall over from sheer exhaustion.”
*~*~*
One week after the fire at Hogwarts
“Alicia?” Sophie began, carefully keeping her voice quiet and not quite daring to venture over the threshold of the bedroom doorway.
They were at Alicia’s house: Sophie, Alicia and Narcissa as well as Dominic and Josh and all of the horses. Moving everyone had been a hassle but the very least of that week’s traumas.
Alicia didn’t reply but looked up from where she was curled protectively around Narcissa’s sleeping form.
In response to her querying look, Sophie said, “There’s a fire call - Professor Dumbledore wants to come through. I think he just wants to talk to Josh and Dommie - Dom, I mean - but I didn’t want to just welcome him in when -” She gestured wordlessly to Narcissa and Alicia easily filled in the blanks: Sophie didn’t want to welcome Dumbledore into their home when he’d effectively taken Narcissa’s son away from her, just moments after she’d lost her sister.
Alicia was about to reply, about to tell Sophie - no, about to go herself and tell Dumbledore - that he wasn’t welcome here. Not now; not ever. But then, without opening her eyes, Narcissa said, “Go and see what he wants, love. See if he’s come to apologise, at least - or change his mind, at most.”
“Will you be alright?” Alicia hesitated and only then did Narcissa open her red-rimmed eyes. She blinked at Alicia and sighed, looking lost and bereft.
“I don’t know,” she whispered and then cleared her throat, “I mean, yes. I’ll be fine; you go on.”
“I’ll stay,” Sophie offered. “I mean, if that’s okay? I don’t suppose Professor Dumbledore wants to talk to me.”
Narcissa looked over to give her a gentle smile and lifted the corner of her blanket in silent invitation. As Alicia rolled over and got up so Sophie crawled in on the other side and allowed Narcissa to wrap her in her arms and the blanket.
“Come back soon,” Narcissa murmured to Alicia and then closed her eyes again, breathing in the scent of Sophie’s hair.
*~*~*
Alicia stared at the old man in her living room and resolutely refused to notice that he looked older and more care worn than she’d ever seen him before. Then again, it was quite likely that they all looked older and more care worn.
“I’m sorry,” she said, aware that she didn’t sound sorry at all, “but can you say that again?”
Seated on the sofa, between Dumbledore by the fireplace and Alicia in the centre of the room, Dominic and Joshua watched the interaction with wide eyes.
“I need you -” Dumbledore began but Alicia interrupted before he could go any further.
“No, you don’t need - you want me to watch over Draco. Yes, I got that, thank you. But, just to clarify, what you’re really saying is that you want me to go and play at being a teacher. A muggle teacher, at that - because you’re not satisfied with having torn Narcissa’s family apart but now you want me to leave her here and go educate her son in - what? Muggle engineering? Muggle electronics? Muggle computing, perhaps?”
“Draco is going to work at a school for deaf children. As Narcissa and Lucius can certainly vouch, he’s very clever and I feel he has a lot to offer -” Dumbledore replied.
“Because it’s not as if he hasn’t given much so far!” Alicia snapped sarcastically, interrupting again.
“Alicia, I’m sorry you’re angry with me. I’m sorry that we’re in this situation but can you imagine, for just one minute, what situation we’d be in if Lord Voldemort’s spirit had possessed either Draco, Harry or Severus?” Dumbledore retorted, finally losing his patience.
Faced with the old man’s irritation, Alicia felt herself gearing up for a proper confrontation. Her posture altered and she opened her mouth, ready to deliver all the vitriol she’d been saving up for the past week -
“Let him talk, Alicia,” Narcissa interjected into the silence before Alicia could utter a single word. All eyes turned to see her leaning against the door jamb, wrapped in the blanket from the bed and with Sophie tucked close under one arm.
“Narcissa,” Alicia began, her voice softening at once. “I’m sorry, we shouldn’t have disturbed you.”
“No,” the blonde woman shook her head and stepped closer, “this is about Draco.” She looked at Dumbledore then, “Where is he? Is he alright?”
“He’s still in a muggle hospital but he’s ready to be discharged - as are Harry and Severus, for that matter. I’m in the process of finding places for them to go. Harry is going to Southampton where he’ll go to college and then, perhaps, university. Joshua and Dominic have just agreed to share a house and keep watch over him for us. Severus will be a lecturer in Chemistry at Aberystwyth University but Draco, given that he has - er -” Dumbledore faltered then and glanced away.
“Given that he can’t speak.” Narcissa supplied, voice chillingly calm. “Given that he’s already suffered in this war.”
“We felt that it would do him good to work with children with similar special needs. If nothing else, it would enable him to learn to communicate via sign language now that -”
“Now that he doesn’t have magic.” Narcissa finished and met the old man’s eyes.
“Quite.” Dumbledore replied quietly. “However, we don’t have a school for deaf children near to here. The closest is in Gloucester.”
They fell into a long silence then, broken only when Sophie shifted against Narcissa’s side. She turned her face into Narcissa’s white blonde hair, took a steadying breath and then spoke very softly.
“It sounds like you might be coming at this from the wrong angle,” she said, looking to Dumbledore shyly. “Rather than sending Alicia to watch over Draco, why don’t you have her to watch over Severus - Professor Snape? He’s closer in Aberystwyth so when Alicia has to travel the muggle way back home, it won’t take so long.”
“And who would you have watch over Draco?” Narcissa asked, giving Sophie a soft, questioning look.
“What about you?”
“No,” Dumbledore cut in abruptly. “I’m sorry, Narcissa. I know there is nothing you’d like more than to be close to your son but the familiarity of the mother-son bond could prove too much for the memory spell. Remember, this is for their own good - we have to keep them hidden and anonymous.”
“And out of reach,” Narcissa sighed but nodded.
“What about Sirius?” Alicia suggested. “He isn’t so familiar to Draco that he’d risk the spell but he’s reliable, trained to cope in a crisis...” She stopped then and frowned a little, “You should have someone with magic close to Harry too. I - I know you had a show of magic, Josh,” she said apologetically to Narcissa’s nephew, “but we can’t rely on a similar adrenalin surge creating the same spark. We need a trained witch or wizard.”
Josh nodded and shrugged good naturedly.
Dumbledore meanwhile was nodding slowly, “I’ll talk to Sirius,” he said, not sounding at all enthusiastic. “And I’ll ask Alison Litworth about watching over Harry. She’s based in Southampton in any case and she doesn’t need to be on the doorstep.”
“Sirius and Alison are friends,” Josh put in helpfully. “If you tell him you’re going to ask her to watch over Harry, he might be more amenable to watching over Draco.”
“Thank you, Joshua. Unfortunately, Sirius’ dissatisfaction with me goes a little deeper than that but we shall see.” He looked at Alicia then and offered a smile, “What about Severus then? Sophie’s suggestion has merit, don’t you think?”
“Well, it’s better than travelling to Gloucester every day via muggle transport. Even Apparating part of the way there and using muggle transport for the remainder would get old very quickly. Aberystwyth, however, isn’t too far at all. But what would you have me do, Albus? I’m hardly suitable for teaching muggle students.”
“No need,” Dumbledore shook his head. “You only need contact with Severus, not the university. Establish and maintain contact by however suits you best; I’ll leave the details to you.”
He then drew a deep breath, lifted his chin and regarded Narcissa with a sombre expression.
“Before I go,” he began, “I wish to offer my sincerest apology for the pain I have caused you and your family. If I had had any other choice, I would not have done this.”
“Thank you,” Narcissa said softly with absolute grace. “Despite what I have said in the heat of the moment, the situation wouldn’t have happened if m-my sister,” she stumbled over the words and her voice broke slightly. Beside her, Sophie pressed close, offering silent comfort.
“If my sister hadn’t tried to attack Sirius, Daniel wouldn’t have felt the irrepressible urge to defend his pack brother. Lucius, in turn, wouldn’t have felt the similarly irrepressible urge to defend his lover.”
“His mate. His life partner.” Dumbledore corrected gently. “It makes a difference. In addition, I understand that Lucius was suffering the long term effects of shape shifting without becoming an Animagus; this would have had a significant impact on his thought processes or lack thereof.”
“Well anyway,” Narcissa shook her head, “apology accepted.”
*~*~*