Child Of Grace: Chapter 25 - A Sirus Situation (Part 1)
Link: Look, I really need a break. Is there any chance at all we can get a couple of guest sporkers in here?
ZeldaQueen: Sure! I know of just the pair. *sweetly* Please send in Leah and Zyn?
Projection Room Voices: You're evil, you know that? *over intercom* Would Leah Clearwater and Zyn please come to the Sporking Chamber? Leah Clearwater and Zyn!
*muzak plays*
Zyn: Ah, I was wondering when we would be called back. I've heard...things about this fanfiction. I must say, I'm looking forward to this
Leah: I'm not. What the hell? I just sporked two other Sues and you want me to do this one?
ZeldaQueen: Look, Link and I already got through five of these chapters! das_mervin managed eighteen, God knows how! All we're asking is that you two handle a few chapters and give us a chance to regain some semblance of sanity
Zyn: Would you mind saying that five times, very quickly
Link: Just get started
*He and ZeldaQueen leave*
Zyn: *comfortably* Right then. Shall we?
Projection Room Voices: Starting Media in 3...2...1...
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Chapter 25: A Sirius Situation (Part 1)
Zyn: *raises eyebrows* It appears that the Suethor is fond of wordplay
Leah: Just so we're clear, you are familiar with Harry Potter canon, aren't you?
Zyn: But of course! My idiot of an author attempted to gain free publicity by suing Mrs. Rowling. A foolish move, but I decided to acquaint myself with the series as a result
Leah: Good. I don't want to spend this entire thing explaining stuff
There was a single word on her mind, just one, and Holly just couldn't help herself. She breathed it out softly.
Leah: Redrum
"Sirius?"
Zyn: Hold a moment, where are we? *scans sporking notes* Ah yes! We have just discovered that the Sue - known as one "Holly Potter" - seems quite capable of recollecting minute details from her first year of life. How special
Leah *snorting* How sue-ish
Zyn: Quite
Holly had never seen a dog gape before, but that was exactly what this one was doing. Wide blue-silver eyes were simply staring at her, and the animal's mouth dropped open. He, for the girl was certain it was a he, made a strange sound at the back of his throat, almost like he was choking.
Leah: It was actually a rabid stray. It ripped her throat out, a la Cujo, and there was much rejoicing
Automatically, she took a tentative step forward. "Sirius, is that you?" Holly whispered, and her head cocked to the side as she continued to study the creature. She stared, seeming very dazed, like she was under some sort of spell.
Zyn: She seems rather young to be taking drugs
Leah: C'mon Holly! There's a million, billion wonderful ways to say no, after all!
Zyn: ... Never quote that again
Leah: Sarcasm!
Zyn: You are quite creepy
Leah: Bah
Next to her, Tom blinked. His gaze drifted from his friend to the animal and back, utter confusion written across his face. The teenager quickly reached for her as she took another step, grabbing hold of the hem of her shirt and stepping up next to her.
Leah: What, is he going to rip of her shirt and rape her?
Zyn: *scanning sporking notes* It appears that we nearly had that already
Leah: Son of a bitch!
"Holly, what are you-" he began, but she didn't seem to be paying attention.
Leah: (Holly) "Quiet, pleb! I'll do whatever I damned well please!"
Instead, the third-year moved forward once more, now within a metre of the dog. She continued to stare into the animal's eyes, and an expression of comprehension, of complete recognition, crossed her face. At the back of her thoughts, a churning memory unexpectedly came to the forefront. In her mind's eye, Holly saw the same dark-haired man she had remembered earlier, bounding around and unexpectedly transforming into an enormous, black dog mid-bounce.
Zyn: Dear heavens above, the contrived coincidences here could rival those of my own canon!
Leah: I love how Sirius apparently found time to transform into a dog in front of a baby, even though he kept that ability so secret that not even Dumbledore seemed to know about it
And everything became clear.
Both: *singing* I can see clearly now, the rain is gone!
The girl stepped forward again, now just a pace away from the creature, and she murmured with awe, "It is you. I know it."
Leah: You killed my father. Prepare to die
The animal froze and made another choking sound, gaping at her even more. The dog's eyes flickered around, as though he was looking for escape. The creature glanced back to Holly, a strange flash crossing his doggy features. He stared at her, taking in her pleading eyes, noticing her companion blink again beside her, and he momentarily wondered just who the boy was and why he was there. More importantly, the dog wondered about his connection to Holly and why he didn't seem to have a scent.
Zyn: Oh for the love of all that is holy - WE UNDERSTAND! THE DOG IS SIRIUS AND HE AND HOLLY ARE STARING IN AMAZEMENT AT EACH OTHER!
The canine eyed the street behind the two Slytherins once more before turning to look over his shoulder. Only a few rubbish bins and a very tall fence were behind him, and it was far too high for him to jump or climb. For all intents and purposes, the dog was trapped.
Leah: And why would it care? In the books, the only reason Sirius didn't go meet Harry straightaway was that he was a wanted criminal and knew that Harry wouldn't believe him
The only exit was directly beyond the boy and girl, and he wasn't even that certain he truly wanted to leave. He had just found what he'd lost for the last twelve years, and he wasn't about to give it up now.
Both: *make very loud gagging noises*
In the meantime, Tom stared at her, too, clearly thinking that his companion was having some sort of breakdown.
Zyn: Yes, her tiny mind was unable to process such information and was forced to reboot
"Holly, I… that is to say…"
Zyn: - Will you marry me?
Leah: For the love of God, don't joke about that!
He slumped, shaking his head, not entirely sure what to tell her. He fought the urge to shift from foot to foot awkwardly. Instead, Tom merely settled for glancing between his seemingly Confunded friend and the dog, thinking that they really didn't have time for this. For all they knew, the Aurors would be swarming them within minutes. It was that very thought that finally ignited his brain, allowing him to come up with something that resembled a coherent sentence.
Leah: WE GET IT! GET ON WITH IT! My God, this is pointless! They're just standing there staring at each other! Plus, Holly has known Sirius for all of one year! ONE FRIGGING YEAR!!! Why would his return cause such an impact on her?
Zyn: I am reminded of a similar tactic that my author used. Both she and the suethor seem to believe that if they heap on a good many adjectives and continue to repeat the same concepts, the audience will eventually eat it up
Leah: *flails* Yes! I know this! My own author did it! I just...Jesus Christ!
"We need to get out of here," Tom submitted firmly as he tugged on her shirt, trying to pull her away, but she didn't really seem to hear him. "Holly, we have to leave," he started again, his hand now on her shoulder.
Zyn: If she is such a frail, delicate little thing, they why is he not able to simply pick her up and carry her away? Or drag her?
However, she didn't respond, simply looking at the dog with a strange expression on her face.
Leah: What strange expression? We're seventeen paragraphs in, and all that we've established is that yes, the dog is Sirius, and the two are just staring at each other!!!
"Are you even listening to me? We have to go."
Leah: Yeah, good luck with that. Sues don't do anything unless they want to
Holly paid him no mind. She was too entranced by the canine, just watching the blasted thing. The girl managed to free herself from Tom without even meaning to and inched closer to the animal. She reached out with a trembling hand, even as her friend tried to stop her.
Zyn: I do hope the thing bites her
Leah: Is she trying to sound charming by calling her godfather a "blasted thing"? Because...she's just sounding bitchy
"Holly!"
She simply ignored him, all her attention focused on the dog. "Please… please don't go," Holly all but begged the animal. "Stay. Please stay. Don't leave."
Leah: I'm sorry, when did we get the impression that he was leaving?
The animal exhaled very slowly, knowing in his heart what he was already going to do. He slowly sat on his haunches, whimpering at the movement. A small smile crossed her lips as he lowered, and she moved the final centimetres forward until her good hand was on the creature's head, her injured wrist tucked in next to her chest.
Leah: *suspiciously* Injury? This isn't another cutesy-klutzy Sue, is it?
Zyn: *examining sporking notes* No, it just appears that she was assaulted by the very out-of-character Dursleys
Leah: Oh. That's not much better
The girl was about to speak to him again and had actually opened her mouth to do so, but a hand on her shoulder halted the action. She finally looked up at Tom, blinking like she was coming out of a trance.
Both: FINALLY!
"Holly, we have to go. We have to leave now. We can't stay," the teenager stated, emphasising each phrase. "You're still injured. We need to go to Diagon now to have someone look at you. Besides, the Min-"
Zyn: - utes are passing into hours
Tom came to a crashing halt as he noted the animal's odd behaviour at his last sentence. He saw the dog's head swivel from the girl to him and back, eyeing her as if the thing actually understood. The canine poked his nose at her arm, immediately homing in on the hurt part.
Leah: Why is it such a big deal that he notices that it seems able to understand them. We know it's Sirius! This isn't some big revelation! Heck, they already figured out it's Sirius!
She immediately recoiled and hissed.
Leah: Great, a Mary Sue catgirl
The dog rose up then, and Holly and Tom both froze, the boy shifting both of them to the side and out of harm's way. However, the animal merely took a step back.
Zyn: Well, this certainly is riveting
Leah: I'll say. So, you have a pretty good singing voice, you know that?
"Stay," the girl murmured faintly, albeit somewhat frantically, thinking that the animal was going to flee. "Don't leave me."
Zyn: Why thank you! You have a lovely voice as well
Liquidy eyes stared at her sadly, and the dog shook his head, as if to say he wouldn't. He eyed her injured arm and then her. He inclined his head, as though thinking. Then, he nodded, just a barely perceptible lowering of his snout.
Leah: Thanks. I do a lot of karaoke
The animal seemed to have come to some sort of decision.
Zyn: Ah yes, I have been considering taking that up. Is it very -
Projection Room Voices: The sporking!
Suddenly, there was a muffled pop, and a man was standing where the dog had just been. He had pale, waxy skin that was pulled tightly over his skull, as if he hadn't eaten steadily for several years. His black hair was long, reaching to his waist, but was knotted and tangled. He smiled tentatively at Holly, showing yellowed and broken teeth. Yet, regardless of his haggard and hollow appearance, his eyes still managed to have some brightness, shining at the girl despite the darkness of the alleyway.
Leah: Wow, this really is just so much better than the books! I mean, those only had a huge build-up and a twist ending, which made the whole "he's nice after all" revelation that much sweeter!
Zyn: You come across as overly bitter, my dear. Are you aware of that?
Leah: Shut up
Tom reacted on pure instinct, even as his mouth dropped open involuntarily. He pulled both of them back, trying to go for the entrance to the alley, but she just wouldn't budge. Her wand was already raised in his other hand, pointing directly at the stranger's chest.
Leah: Is anything going to happen here?
He looked familiar, so very familiar, but for the life of him, Tom just couldn't place him.
Zyn: Now why would Tom Riddle know of him? Sirius attended school after Voldemort did. *reads sporking notes* And according to this, Riddle was trapped in a diary for that period of time
The man's eyes flickered to the wand, but he chose to ignore it momentarily and took a step forward. He reached for Holly, lifting a hand toward the stunned girl, like he just wanted to make sure she was real.
But the other Slytherin was having nothing of that.
Both: DO SOMETHING!
"Try it, and I swear that I will, Animagus," Tom coldly informed the man, immediately identifying him for what he was and brandishing Holly's wand. Angry green and gold sparks shot out, but the other male didn't even flinch.
Leah: You know, that "Animagus" thing would be more impressive if we actually already knew what one was. And why the hell would Sirius be threatened? Riddle is a teenage boy!
He simply continued to look at Holly, watching her with something bordering on awe. In turn, she was staring back at him, her face completely unreadable. Tom, on the other hand, just growled, considering his options.
Zyn: As I was saying, I do believe that M.A.R.Y.S.U.E karaoke night is this Saturday. Would you consider it worth attending?
"I'm not here to hurt her," came a croaking and hollow voice, one which Tom belatedly identified as belonging to the stranger. "I don't want to hurt her," he continued in the same cracked tone, which obviously suffered from lack of use. He took another tentative step, and the male Slytherin went to intercept.
Leah: Hell yeah! There isn't that great a selection, but at least there's none of that rap junk
"Don't, Tom," Holly inserted suddenly, abruptly coming back to herself, and her friend could already see the determination on her face as she stepped between the two. "I believe him," she intoned, half-turning so that she could look at both of them. "I know that he's telling the truth."
Zyn: And the Sue finally shows signs of life
Leah: I love how she instantly just knows that this strange man in the alley is safe. Harry was such a loser that he didn't know!
Holly sent a mental poke to the other Slytherin,
Both: *stare and then burst out laughing*
Leah: Mental "poke"???
Zyn: In the midst of all of that prose! Ha!
letting him know just why she believed the man. Obviously, she had used her Mind Magic at some point in the last few minutes.
Zyn: Which the suethor could not be bothered to explain to us as it happened
"He isn't here to harm us," she said, trying to placate Tom. Holly put her hand on his wand arm, lowering it to point at the ground.
Leah - towards his crotch
Tom clearly looked sceptical. "Why is he here then? And for that matter, who is he?" the teenager demanded, gesturing emphatically. He looked first at Holly and then at the Animagus, who was so very familiar.
Leah: WE KNOW THIS ALL! STOP TRYING TO BE MYSTERIOUS!
Zyn: For heaven's sake, calm down!
Leah: I hate this! This is exactly what my own author did in spin-offs or alternate point-of-view retellings! She kept trying to trick the readers, even though they knew damned well what was going on because they read the fucking series!
Belatedly, as he took in the stranger's worn appearance, Tom realised where he recognised him from. This man was the same one from the newspaper, the one Holly had stared at for hours, and Tom suddenly remembered his name.
"You're Sirius Black."
Zyn: Yes, I do believe we have established that. May we move on to an actual plot now?
Instantly, Tom moved to lift Holly's wand again, only to realise that he no longer held it. He glanced up at Holly, noticing that she momentarily smirked at him as she fingered her wand.
Leah: I'm torn between childish amusement at the word "fingered" and irritation at how she's apparently smirking in a scene that the suethor is trying to build up as solemn
The man gave them a yellowed grin. "Yes, yes, I am."
Zyn: Goodbye suspense. We hardly knew thee!
Somehow, Tom put two and two together, getting sixteen. "You're on the run from the Ministry," he concluded, taking in the fact that this man was obviously a wizard and that he was an escaped convict, too.
Leah: Doy?
Pain flashed across Sirius' face, but it was gone in an instant. "I can explain but not here," he said in his croaking voice. "It's too open, and we don't know who might be listening. You'll just have to trust me."
Zyn: I do wonder how the suethor intends to fill the fourteen other chapters that appear to fill this year
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Tom felt the hysterical urge to laugh. "Trust you? We don't even know you!" he inserted fiercely.
"Tom," Holly chastised, her gaze flickering to him before returning to Sirius.
Leah: Um, Holly? Tom actually has a good point there
"No, we can't stay here. I had a spot of trouble with my relatives," she admitted at the man's questioning expression. "I confess that I magic might have occurred as we were leaving."
Leah: This non sequitor brought to you by Child of Grace
Zyn: Ah yes, it is all about her. Never mind the fact that Sirius is a wanted criminal. No, they only must hide because Holly is in "a spot of trouble" with her family
Sirius blinked. "Where are you going?" he asked, face darkening as he processed the information.
Leah: I love this. Not two sentences between the two and he has already started to care more about her than his mission
His expression further soured when he realised what Holly had admitted to, and he wondered why she had to leave. He knew she lived with the Dursleys, Lily's spiteful sister and her spawn, so he cringed as he imagined what just might have happened to her there, though her current appearance gave him a fair idea.
Zyn: Because it certainly is not like he has spent the past few weeks living off of scraps and is now in rags, all while filthy and smelly. The Sue is certainly much worse off!
Tom looked ready to say something nasty, but the female Slytherin beat him to it. "Diagon Alley, but just for a few days."
"I'm going with you," Sirius asserted vehemently. "I have so much to tell you, Holly," he added, looking at her thoughtfully.
"Really? And how do you expect to pull that one off?" Tom inquired with a scathing tone. "You can't go as you are, and we are trying to be inconspicuous. A big, black dog is anything but."
Sirius looked stumped. "I don't know," he admitted rather reluctantly.
Leah: (Sirius) "I must cater to the Sue, though!"
Tom sniffed disdainfully. "Well, unless you can come up with something, you can't come with us."
Leah: You know, there's a note here about how these asshats are so rude all of the time. I'd dearly love to rip Tom's disdainful knows right off of his face
Sirius sent a pleading look at Holly, even as he was trying to think of something.
Zyn: It was very difficult for him to think, you see, as the Sue was already beginning to suck his brains
"I'm sorry, but we can't have that kind of attention. Besides, you'd be caught for certain," she answered, even as she wracked her brain, trying to form a solution. She fingered her wand absentmindedly,
Leah: Please stop using that word
and her eyes abruptly widened. "Tom, how good are you at Transfiguration?" she asked with bated breath.
Leah: I think someone forgot an "i"
Zyn : *using internet connections* No, amazingly, that is the correct spelling
Leah: I'll be damned
He immediately caught on, giving a winning smile. "I happen to be brilliant at it." Tom studied Sirius with an appraising eye and chuckled forebodingly. "Though, it will be much easier if he was a dog."
Zyn: And are they at any point intending to inform Sirius of this plan?
"What?" Sirius questioned, but he stiffened
Zyn: Please do not use that word either
as understanding dawned on him. "You're going to change me into something."
Leah: Um yeah, that's what Transfiguration means!
A flare of panic shot through him at the very idea, at the thought of being so completely helpless.
Leah: Please, as if the headstrong Sirius would get all worked up over something like that. If anything, he'd get pissed off
Tom sneered, picking up on the Animagus' reluctance. "Oh… ho ho. He thinks we are going to turn him into to the Ministry. He wants us to trust him but clearly does not return the favour." He made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "Well, leave then, if we are so untrustworthy. No one is asking you to stay."
Leah: Get bent, you little shit
Zyn: While I would not use such language, I must agree. Sirius really does have reason to be concerned if they are turning him into something strange and probably immobile
Sirius froze, his eyes going dead.
Leah: Dead lights!
The girl quickly stepped in, "I asked him to stay." She shot Tom a look. "You wanted me to trust you," Holly put in quickly, turning back to the Animagus with pleading eyes, "and now, I ask the same from you. Trust me, Sirius. We won't turn you in. I swear it."
Zyn: And, of course, everyone instantly believes the Sue
Sirius gazed at her for a moment, searching her face for something. Whatever it was, he apparently found as he nodded curtly and transformed. He visibly steadied himself as Tom flicked her wand, and a bright, greyish light shot out of it, hitting the canine in the chest.
There was a strange pop, and where Sirius-dog had just been, there was now a fist-sized statuette of him.
Leah: They didn't even tell him what it would be? They just turned him into a tiny, immobile object and Tom had the gall to mock him for being worried?
"Nice," the girl stated as she bent down to retrieve the very life-like, albeit small, replica.
However, just as she straightened, she paused as something occurred to her.
"You can change him back, right?"
Zyn: *taking a deep breath* Wouldn't that have been something to ask before doing it?
Leah: WHAT THE HECK? She just let Riddle turn this guy who she goes on about like she loves him so much into a statue, and doesn't bother to find out if he can reverse it until after??? GAH!
"Of course," he replied flippantly, watching as she tucked the figurine into her pocket. "Though, I would suggest doing it within the next two hours or so. I don't think he'll fancy what might happen if we leave him like that for longer." He chuckled to himself, idly imagining Sirius permanently stuck in miniature form.
Zyn: What a horrible, horrible person. The suethor clearly has issues
Holly gave a weak grin, just a bare twitch of her lips as she caught his thoughts. "Thanks, Tom."
Leah: Ha ha, isn't it just so funny, thinking of someone you care about stuck permanently as a statue? How sweet!
And she didn't have to say what it was for.
Leah: For being a total bastard?
Zyn: For having the brains of a Greeblie?
The teenager nodded. "Anytime."
He seemed unhappy that they weren't getting rid of the convict, but he would go along with what Holly wanted. He owed her that much.
Leah: *scratches head* Am I the only one reminded of Edward? He really wants to do his own thing, is only not doing it because his girlfriend won't let him, and is making up for it by doing everything in his power to be an ass to that person
The girl nodded back. She moved by her friend, stepping around a loose stone, but the smile slipped as she was jostled.
"We really need to have that looked at," Tom said as they moved back to her trunk, his earlier mood now seemingly forgotten. "If memory serves, there was a Healing Station at Diagon, and since we were going there anyway, we might as well stop in."
"That sounds fine to me, though anything sounds good right now." Holly sighed. "So the Knight Bus?" she asked, taking her wand from him.
Zyn: Yes, please! Move forward towards the plot!
He replied after a second, "I think that's about our only option." If his tired expression was anything to go by, Tom simply wanted to be out of this place.
Leah: Wait a second, how does she already know about the Knight Bus? She never took it yet!
"Do you think I should disguise myself? I might wan-" She paused mid-sentence, her eyes glazing over slightly. "Bugger!" Holly all but spat suddenly, coming back to herself. She silently berated herself, wondering how she hadn't noticed before.
Tom's head snapped to her. "What is it?"
She growled, trying to think of what to do. "Two Ministry workers are coming this way. I think one's an Auror."
Leah: Good for them. I hope they arrest her skinny butt
Zyn: And they did not Apparate over? I am disappointed
The teenager swiftly went to take her trunk, but a hand on his elbow stilled him. "No, Tom, into the diary," Holly stated. "They're too close, and we can't risk them seeing you."
Leah: Because that's what's important!
He shook his head forcefully. "What about you?"
Her eyes drifted half-closed as her mind sought the two Ministry members. "They're not here to cart me off to Azkaban. I think they're just making sure I'm all right."
Zyn: Yet another source of conflict, no matter how temporary, killed off
He didn't seem to believe her, uncertainty in his eyes.
"Trust me, Tom," she begged, fetching the diary from his robe pocket. "Just go into the diary."
Her friend frowned deeply. He was about to reply, but the sound of approaching footfalls caught his attention. His gaze riveted to Holly, and he growled. Tom knew it was probably a bad idea; regardless, he complied with her request. He was gone in an instant, and she snapped the book shut. The girl quickly opened her trunk, stuffing it inside as it wouldn't fit in her pocket with Sirius there.
Leah: Wow. I really couldn't give a fuck
Zyn: I concur. So tell me, what sort of songs do they have at this karaoke night?
Leah: Karaoke's serious business for you, huh?
Zyn: I enjoy trying new things
Leah: Well, there's a little Motown, some disco, a few good sixties and seventies, and a lot of Weird Al
Zyn: "Weird Al"?
Leah: You'll find out
The lid had just closed and she was just about to take the handle when two men came around the corner. Holly whirled to face them, wand discreetly hidden in her hand.
Leah: But it was not discreetly enough. They promptly blasted it out of her hand and arrested her for threatening a Ministry official
One was dark-skinned and bald with a shiny, golden hoop in one ear. The other was average height, though he looked short next to his companion, and he had a rosy face and a stubby, brown beard. The two were dressed rather normally in shirts and trousers with no obviously magical articles in sight. They looked just like a pair of Muggle friends out for a night-time stroll, but Holly wasn't fooled. She knew they were wizards, and she knew they were looking for her.
Leah: DUN DUN DUNNNN!
Zyn: Is this detailed description important? Ought I be taking notes?
Holly reached for her trunk, debating whether or not to run, but the pair seemed to know what she was trying to decide.
"Wait. Hold on!" the bearded man called, hurrying forward.
The sight of two wands appearing caused Holly to freeze, despite the fact that she had her own in hand. She knew there was no way she could flee in her current state, at least not with her trunk, which currently held Tom's diary. Besides, their thoughts indicated that they were here to help her, not harm her.
Zyn: Why is there no conflict here?
Leah: Why are we just speeding through this all?
"I'm Kingsley Shacklebolt," the darker man calmly said, approaching her very slowly.
He was the same one she had early identified as an Auror, and her guess was confirmed as he opened his mouth again.
"I'm an Auror with the Ministry." He gently eased his hand to his pocket, removing and showing her his badge. "I'm not here to cause you any trouble, Miss Potter… Holly."
The girl stiffened at the sound of her name, watching them under her eyelashes. Kingsley seemed to pick up on her mood as he halted.
"We were notified of a surge of magic at your residence, and we came to make sure everything was all right," the bald man continued. "We found Miss Dursley, and she is now back to normal size." He paused at that comment, a strange expression on his face. His lips twitched, and the Auror looked as though he was trying not to laugh.
Zyn: Yes, because a Ministry official whose job is clearly to protect wizards and Muggles alike would laugh at a person be helplessly attacked by magic
A subtle nudge of his companion's elbow to his side brought him back to the topic at hand.
"This is Amos Diggory." Shacklebolt indicated the other man, but his eyes seemed to be dancing with mirth.
Leah: Oh, shut up! Suethor! We know you hate the Dursleys! Stop having everyone treat attacks on them as silly and justified!
"He's an Obliviator, and he's modified the memories of Miss Marjorie Dursley. "
"She doesn't remember a thing," Diggory inserted quickly, "though your guardians do." The soft and encouraging smile on his face did nothing to cover his mental disgust at the thought of the Dursleys. He had not been impressed by the Girl-Who-Lived's guardians, not at all.
Zyn: I do not believe that the suethor heard you
Leah: I could scream it louder
Zyn: Do not bother. Most likely, she would simply ignore you
The two men silenced after that, clearly wanting her to put forth some response. A minute passed without her saying anything; she lightly touched their minds and further gauged them. They both possessed mental shields, but she gleaned enough from their surface thoughts to know that they were telling the truth.
Leah: This is one of the reasons I hate mind-reading Sues. They always just poke around in people's minds and ruin the suspense of if someone's lying or not
Finally, just as Diggory was about to speak again, the Slytherin opened her mouth.
Zyn: - and a bug flew in
"Shacklebolt did you say? Are you related to Titania?" Holly inquired slowly, easing her arm from her chest just a bit.
It was a movement that both Ministry workers saw; they had been discreetly eyeing her for several moments.
The Auror smiled at the question. "My niece. She's told me some about you. Says you're quite good at Defence," he replied,
Zyn: Everyone has heard of the Sue!
even as he wondered if the girl was injured.
If she was, the Dursleys hadn't mentioned it.
Leah: *rolling her eyes* Alright suethor, I read the sporking notes for your previous story arcs. You can't make out like everyone in the Ministry is evil incarnate and completely against dear little Holly or beloved protectors of her, just to fit the situation
Come to think of it, they hadn't mentioned much of anything. The horsy-faced woman had merely screeched wordlessly, while clutching at her son, who had looked on confusedly and blubbered some. The man of the family had been particularly quiet, not actually making any sound at all and seeming as though he had recently had fear of the Maker put into him.
Zyn: Now, one would logically conclude that something had scared them into a clearly worked up and terrified state as Holly left. I am willing to be The Ancient Book of Tales that this will instead be dismissed except to be used as proof of how Holly is a sad, abused little thing
Holly nodded at the comment, drawing Shacklebolt back into the present.
"We're here to take you somewhere safe," Kingsley responded to her unvoiced inquiry, grinning and showing his very white teeth.
Leah: That sounds kind of threatening
"I'm not going back," Holly stated in a calm voice, belying the churning of her stomach.
"And we're not here to take you," the Auror hastily assured. "We just want to take you somewhere safe. Is there anywhere you can go? A friend's house perhaps?"
Leah: M.A.R.Y.S.U.E. custody, perhaps? *waves spook with a maniacal grin*
Her mind instantly jumped to Blaise, but reality came crashing down on her. He was currently visiting his aunt in Spain and wouldn't be back for two days, a fact she had forgotten until then.
Zyn: Since when was this?
Her thoughts next went to Draco, but she wasn't entirely sure that was a good idea either. No Ministry worker worth their Galleons would ever allow her to stay with the Malfoys, regardless of the fact the Lucius was found innocent. That same line of thought led her to immediately cross both Theo and Pansy off her list.
Zyn: Lucius? Innocent?
Leah: Anyway, why would they give a fuck? We see in book four that Lucius is still in good favor with the Minister of Magic via bribery
Luna and her father weren't at home, away in Devon, looking for Crumpled-horned snorkaks.
Leah: Didn't that happen after book five?
Milli was definitely an option, but Holly had never met her parents before and wasn't sure if they would appreciate her dropping in on their doorstep.
Zyn: Oh look, the Sue is pretending to care for someone!
Leah: Only because it provides her with angst
The same was true for her other Slytherin friends, which only left one other family. And there was no way she would spend any more time than necessary with Ginny or Ron, despite how much she liked Fred and George.
Leah: THAT LITTLE WHORE! *fursplodes into a wolf and runs out of the sporking chamber*
Zyn: Well! Hmph. While I would not put it so...violently, that really is a nasty comment. These sporking notes say that not even two chapters ago, we were just told that Ron had been so kind as to send Holly birthday presents, even though she hadn't been very nice to him that year. Ginny spent all of the previous year begging Holly to be friends with her. And now the Sue is openly stating that the Weasleys would be so kind as to take her in when she has no other safe place to go, and she only insults them. Really!
Holly blinked up at Shacklebolt as he stepped closer to her, tearing herself away from her thoughts and looking into their questioning faces.
"I… was just going to go to Diagon Alley," the girl replied with the slightest hitch of hesitation. "I was supposed to stay with Blaise… Blaise Zabini," she clarified, "starting on Saturday anyway."
Leah: *comes storming back in, wearing new clothes*
Zyn: So nice of you to join us
Leah: Hmph
Diggory gazed at her for a moment. "Can you not stay with him now?"
"He's away, out of the country," the Slytherin replied.
Leah: So wait, in a world full of Portkeys, Floo transportation, and magical means of communication, they can't send him a message and have him hurry home to the Sue?
Kingsley and Amos exchanged the barest of glances, which she still managed to catch. She also caught the whirl of their thoughts and their quiet contemplations about the situation. To them, it wasn't the best of solutions, but it would have to do. Besides, they couldn't have her out on the streets, not with Black on the loose.
Zyn: Dear lord, this is contrived
Holly puzzled at this last thought, almost missing Diggory's response.
Leah: Why would she be puzzled? This stupid story arc apparently started out with them reading how Sirius was wanted for murder
Zyn: I now bet a Muggle that the suethor will ignore the canon facts of why the Ministry understandably mistook Sirius as the Potter murderers and instead has Holly be horribly indignant that they dare to suspect one of her lackeys of any crimes
Leah: This a Harry Potter Muggle or one from your crap-ass canon?
Zyn: *wrinkling nose* I meant one from my story
Leah: Eh, no, not taking the bet. First Sand's dick, now this. Aren't you supposed to bet things that people want?
"That sounds fine to me," the bearded man said.
"Yes, it does," Kingsley replied, bending down to pick up a loose rock from the ground before turning to his companion. "Amos, why don't you return to the others and let them know we have her. In the meantime, I'll make a Portkey and escort Holly here to the Leaky Cauldron."
Leah: Wait, what was the point of this? How is this any different from canon? Or rather, how does the suethor think this is any better than canon?
Zyn: There is no embarrassing ride on the Knight Bus
Leah: Oh yeah
Both Diggory and the girl picked up on the unspoken message, though the two men didn't know about the latter fact.
For all intents and purposes, he might as well have said, "Let them know that Black doesn't have her. I'll keep her safe on the way to the pub and make sure that she actually gets there."
Zyn *waves goodbye to yet another piece of suspense*
The Obliviator inclined his head. "Fine. Into the alley then. Can't be seen, after all. I don't fancy modifying anymore memories tonight."
Leah: *suspiciously* Wait a second. *checks the Harry Potter Wiki* Amos Diggory isn't an Obliviator! He works in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures! Why would he be sent for damage control of Muggles exposed to magic?
He went into the alleyway that Holly had just found Sirius in not a half-hour earlier. Reluctantly, the girl followed with Kingsley bringing up the rear, wheeling her trunk behind him.
Zyn: Why is she reluctant? All these men have done is be perfectly nice to her
"You two first," Diggory stated when he deemed them far enough along. "I'll leave after you."
The Auror shrugged, studying his pebble. "Hm… it's a bit small," Shacklebolt commented idly, tapping it with the tip of his wand.
Leah: That's what she said
The rock grew from the size of a fingernail to that of a flattened hand.
"Portus."
The stone glowed blue for an instant.
"Shall we?" He offered the rock to her. "Just a finger on it will be enough, though you might want to stand close to me, so I can catch you if you fall."
Zyn: Because heaven forbid the Sue face any indignities or humiliation
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Onward to: Chapter 25: A Sirius Situation (Part 2)
Back to: Chapter 24: Child Of Hope (Part 3)
Return to: Table of Contents