Child Of Grace: Chapter 55 - Child Of Destiny (Part 2)
ZeldaQueen: So yeah, as you all can see, I have inadvertently lied about finishing this tripe by Christmas. I hope you all can find it in your hearts to forgive me, but I've been rather distracted by the shiny copy of 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors that I got. It's a great murder mystery and has multiple endings and me being the great survivalist I am, I've found three different ones which all end with my dying messily. Yeah. But I've heard that there's an ending where everyone survives, so I'm going to get that one if it kills me. Which it has, three times
Anyway, Link’s taking a break because I want at this next bit myself. This is really annoying because, while Sirius does call Holly out on some of her shit, IT’S ALMOST EXACTLY A COPY OF THE POST-BREAKUP SCENE IN NEW MOON!
Oh, you don’t believe me? Fine! I’m going to include parallel New Moon quotes in read. And, in the belated spirit of the holidays, I’ll make my own commentary green
Projection Room Voices: Starting Media in 3...2...1...
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Chapter 55: Child of Destiny (Part 2)
She came down stairs the following morning with all the grace of a graduating seventh-year after a weeklong bender.
ZeldaQueen: Would that be Bender from The Breakfast Club or Bender from Futurama? Either way, they wouldn’t put up with your angsty butt
Which is to say that Holly staggered about, nearly took out the painting on the landing, all but fell down every step, and only kept her feet at the bottom by sheer miracle alone.
ZeldaQueen: Is this supposed to be dramatic? Because it reads like a Laurel and Hardy routine
She shuffled into the kitchen and over to the table but took three tries to successfully pull her chair back, another two attempts to sit in it without missing on the way down, but she somehow managed to get her elbow on the table top and rest her head on her fist while only knocking her knife to the floor. Her glass - thankfully empty - barely even tilted before righting itself when her knee hit the table leg, and she missed her plate entirely.
ZeldaQueen: Now see, this is why you shouldn't hit the sauce so hard when you're just fifteen and so scrawny
Sirius and Remus didn't even blink. Really, it was a twinge too commonplace these days to see her stumble about like a poorly-made Inferi.
ZeldaQueen: So they finally wised up to her "pity me" routine. Good for them
Her godfather just glanced up from the paper with a vaguely forced grin, and Remus set about filling her plate for her with an amused air.
ZeldaQueen: Amused? If my adopted daughter was acting like that routinely, I'd either be worried or annoyed as heck!
"Hey," Sirius greeted but got no reply back.
ZeldaQueen: (Holly's Nonexistent Brain) "We're sorry, the number that you've tried to dial is no longer in service. Please try again never"
The kitchen was quiet for a moment, and he watched her stare at the food now sitting in front of her as though puzzled by how it'd gotten there.
ZeldaQueen: Ha, how silly! We all know that the Breakfast Fairy brings us our food!
When she didn't respond, he reached for the nearest empty cup, filling it full of heavily caffeinated tea and sliding it over to her.
ZeldaQueen: You know, I'm not the biggest expert on tea or coffee, but I'd imagine that dosing a skinny fifteen-year-old with a heavy helping of caffeine when they're clearly out of their mind is not the best idea
He just sat back as she reached for it mindlessly and gave a little sigh as he saw her eyes focus and lose their glassiness. He and Remus exchanged a look as she slowly came alive in front of them, gaining enough brainpower to reach for her fork. Of
course, she missed her mouth the first try but got it on the second.
ZeldaQueen: Someone needs to make a carnival game of this, tossing forks into the Sue's mouth. One hundred point bonus if you stab her in the eye
"Tough night?" Sirius inquired as he poured her another cup of tea; the first had disappeared rather quickly.
ZeldaQueen: For her next magic trick, the Sue then pulled a deus ex machina out of her ass, and vanished several vital plot points and exposition
Holly nodded and gave a little grunt.
ZeldaQueen: So she's a caveman
Sirius lifted an eyebrow, but she didn't seem to notice. It took too much brainpower for the teen to simply lift her fork to her to mouth and chew afterwards. Rinse and repeat. Take another sip of tea. Balk at the fact that it'd gone cold; if only there were a way to heat it back up. Think about that as another forkful approached. Blankly stare at her now empty plate.
ZeldaQueen: I know that this is supposed to tug at our heartstrings and make us pity her, but all I can think is that this totally validates what I've been saying, about how Holly is an empty-headed bint who can't do jack without someone telling her to or doing it for her
"…And then, the teacup and the fork ran away together, leaving the knife very put out."
ZeldaQueen: And apparently Sirius is reciting nursery rhymes. How cute
Holly jerked her head up and blinked. "What?"
I looked up from my cereal, which I was pondering rather than eating, and stared at Charlie in shock. I hadn't been following the conversation - actually, I hadn't been aware that we were having a conversation - and I wasn't sure what he meant
Her godfather grinned at her from across the table. Remus just rolled his eyes.
ZeldaQueen: He rolled them across the table and into the oatmeal. It was rather disgusting
"Hey there, sunshine.
ZeldaQueen: - "The day welcomes you!"
Nice of you to join us down here on planet Earth." Sirius lifted a brow when she frowned.
ZeldaQueen: Does lifting a brow count as a workout routine, I wonder?
"I've been here the entire time."
ZeldaQueen: Yes, most unfortunately. If you wanted to leave, I can assure you that no one would complain
"You're body might've been, but your mind was a thousand miles away," Remus replied instead.
ZeldaQueen: What mind? This chick is the most brainless idiot I've ever encountered
Sirius shook his head. "Honestly, you're as bad as Tom. Even when he's here, he isn't. Always stuck in the library. Kid needs to get a life," he grumbled good-naturedly.
ZeldaQueen: Yes, it is rather alarming when sociopathic nutballs are anti-social
"Rather literally in his case I should think," Remus muttered from behind his teacup.
ZeldaQueen: YES, ISN'T IT CHARMING, HA HA?
Seriously, given how Riddle's canon personality is, I find the Suethor's constant attempts to joke about him to be in very poor taste
The other man gave a snort, but when Holly failed to respond, Sirius turned back to her.
He made a disgusted sound and promptly waved a hand in front of her face. She could only blink stupidly at him before regaining herself a second later.
ZeldaQueen: (Holly) "Durrr..."
"Sorry," she apologised
ZeldaQueen: OH MY FUCKING GOD, NOW THE SUETHOR'S CRIBBING FROM ERAGON!!! THE UNIVERSE MIGHT IMPLODE FROM THIS MUCH FAIL!
and glanced away sheepishly to stare at the kitchen counter. "I'm just a tad slow this morning."
ZeldaQueen: If by "a tad slow" you mean "utterly braindead" then yes you are, and not just limited to this morning
That brought both adults up short.
ZeldaQueen: I don't want to know what part of them is "short", especially with the slash vibes we got before
"This morning?" Remus repeated, nearly incredulous. "Holly, it's after one. The morning is over," the werewolf informed her with a mildly exasperated look. "Sirius and I've been up for ages. He's already on his lunch break from Saint Mungo's."
"What?" Holly's gaze flickered to the clock opposite the stove. "It can't possibly be…" She trailed off as her foggy brain realised that both hands pointing at the one meant that it was indeed the afternoon. "Oh…"
"Yes, oh," her godfather retorted and sipped his own tea.
The Slytherin belatedly grasped that he was in fact wearing his healer robes. Which he only did at the house while on breaks. Sirius always immediately changed when he was done for the day or right before he went in.
She really was running behind today, and Holly must've said as much since they glanced at her again. She saw them trade a look afterwards. Remus shook his head, but Sirius just nodded. The werewolf shook his head harder and then all but put his metaphorical tail between his legs when Sirius gave him a gimlet eye. A silent argument that took seconds with her godfather the clear victor.
Only, that never happened. Sirius didn't win arguments. Not like that. Not with Remus turning hesitantly back to her and plastering on a grin.
"Holly…" the werewolf began in a voice that had even her still addled brain screaming danger, "Sirius and I are… concerned. About you," he added unnecessarily. "We've noticed that you've been having a bit of a hard time lately."
An understatement there. She could tell from his tone, but Remus was good at downplaying the significance of things and candy-coating the truth. It came from so many years of covering for his best friends in school.
And at least Holly had enough brainpower going for her to comprehend that. Things were looking up, even as they were simultaneously looking down.
"What is this? An intervention?" she asked in half-jest and half-deflection, but she deflated at the expression shot her way. "It is. It really is." Holly was struck by the insight.
Charlie watched with exasperation as I slowly grasped the meaning of his words.
"No," the Animagus denied, "not an intervention. We're just worried about you, Hols."
Remus gave a nod and a gentle, encouraging smile. He really didn't look like a bad man when he did that, but she knew that he was getting ready to drop the proverbial gauntlet in front of her.
Sure enough, he did.
"Last summer, it was a sign of the apocalypse if we caught you in bed past seven," Remus told her. Like it was news or something. "Now, we're lucky if we see you before noon, and even then, you stagger around like Padfoot after Eren spiked his tea."
"Hey! That was only the one time!" Sirius immediately interjected,
ZeldaQueen: Hur hur, drugging people is funny!
Actually...what? Why would Eren spike his tea? That kind of crosses from "cute prank" to "nasty thing to do", even if we were to believe that Eren, built up as this elegant lady, would engage in childish pranks. So did she think Sirius was mistreating Holly? Did she just do it out of spite, because he took Holly from her?
Oh, and I feel I might add that if she did drug Sirius for such petty reasons, that doesn't paint a very nice picture of her. Mrs. Weasley never drugged anyone
but then, his face turned serious again. "We're worried. You haven't been… well, you haven't really been you recently."
ZeldaQueen: (Sirius) "I'm starting to think that you're a Mary Sue"
His eyes were oddly shadowed as he gazed at her, so sharp that she felt her hands become fists beneath the table. There was no need for that kicked puppy look. She hadn't done anything wrong, and her mental fog was quickly being burned through by indignation and just a hint of anger. If there was one thing her mutable temper was good for, it was sharpening her thoughts.
"You make it sound like I'm on drugs or something. There's nothing wrong with me," she insisted a bit more loudly than intended. "So what if I'm having the occasional lie in. I'm just tired. I'm a teenager; it happens."
"What did I do?" I felt my face crumple. It was so unfair. My behavior had been above reproach for the past four months. After that first week, which neither of us ever mentioned, I hadn't missed a day of school or work. My grades were perfect. I never broke curfew - I never went anywhere from which to break curfew in the first place. I only very rarely served leftovers.
ZeldaQueen: Seriously, this is denial
"You're tired because you aren't sleeping," her godfather contradicted.
"And you don't sleep because you have nightmares," Remus went on, and she nearly gritted her teeth as he set down his cup and steepled his fingers on the table in front of him. It was one of his tells for when the conversation was going somewhere she probably wouldn't like.
ZeldaQueen: You mean like calling you out on your bullshit?
"Everybody has nightmares," the Slytherin dismissed. "And again… teenager. We sleep a lot. Have you ever tried to get Draco up without a good eight hours of sleep? Much less Milli? It just doesn't happen."
ZeldaQueen: Um, eight hours is the minimum amount of time a person needs to sleep to stay healthy. Maybe if you said they needed eleven hours of sleep or something. And was it ever shown anywhere else that these people are big sleepers?
Her godfather gave a dismissive noise. "Those two are just being lazy. They aren't on the edge of a breakdown."
"You didn't do anything. That's the problem. You never do anything."
"And I am?" Holly couldn't help but demand, actually feeling the table and dishes rattle before she snapped her shields all the way up. "I'm not falling apart!"
Sirius drooped like a scolded dog that'd been batted on the nose with the newspaper.
ZeldaQueen: Really? We’re expected to believe that Sirius Black - the guy who grew up with hateful relatives who disowned him, fought the Death Eaters, and spent a good chunk of his life in Azkaban, would start whimpering because a mopey teenager yelled at him?
But he visibly steeled himself an instant later.
"That was a poor choice of words," he admitted, "but my point is still valid. We're worried about you. Things have been hectic in our lives the last few months, and they're only going to get worse."
"With Voldemort back, you mean," Holly bit out as she crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot against the table leg. That only made it clatter as much as her telekinesis had.
"That, too," Sirius acknowledged. He leaned forward in his chair to rest his elbows by his plate. "We just want to make sure that you're okay. That you know you can talk to us and we'll listen."
He paused, searching for the words again. "When your mother left," he began, frowning, "and took you with her." He inhaled deeply. "Well, that was a really bad time for me."
[...]
"But I handled it," he pointed out. "Honey, you're not handling it. I waited, I hoped it would get better." He stared at me and I looked down quickly. "I think we both know it's not getting better."
ZeldaQueen: I know that's a bit of a stretch, but it's in the same vein. Just like Charlie, Sirius is trying to open up and support Holly and help her recover and the little bitch just keeps ignoring him
Her frown only deepened at that. "Well, I'm fine. I don't need to talk to you. End of discussion."
"No, it's not," Sirius refuted softly, "but we'll get back to that in a minute." He paused to take in a breath and ignored the look she shot him. "I know that we haven't had the best summer so far..."
Holly sniffed, but he kept going like he hadn't noticed.
"…And I know that things have been especially hard on you."
ZeldaQueen: I repeat, I feel no sympathy at all for this bitch. None. At all. It was her own fault that she was captured, her own fault she was so stupid, and now she has a million people who are providing emotional support and trying to be nice to her and instead of making some attempt to move on, Holly's just acting like a zombie and pushing everyone away.
And yes, I know that Harry was pissy and felt no one understood him either, except that (A) he makes some sort of decision to move on, wanting to fight Voldemort to avenge Cedric and keep more people from dying and (B) he was left out of the loop on the Order and all of that, which to him was frustrating because it got in the way of said avenging and protecting. Holly, as we will see, doesn't even care what the Order is up to. She sees it as an annoying daycare service. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's move on
Another sniff. Nearly followed by a motion for him to just get on with it. One that both men must've sensed since they looked at one another for a split second.
ZeldaQueen: And then they slapped her, because quite frankly she has long been in need of a good bit of discipline
"What Sirius is trying to say," Remus cut in just then, "is that he and I are going to be doing a few things for the Order over the next several weeks.
ZeldaQueen: Oh, I'm sorry, the Order? What's the Order? Is that like a take-out service?
And yes, I know what it is. But this is literally the very first time that the Order of the Phoenix has been brought up, with no mention of who is in it, what it's purpose is, or when it started up. Again, the Suethor would need her audience to already know the books, which means that her "twists" are pointless
Things Dumbledore needs us to do that nobody else can handle. We don't really have much choice, and we don't want to leave you here." There was a tick before he added, "By yourself."
ZeldaQueen: No, no, by all means, leave her alone! *strokes axe lovingly*
Holly couldn't decide if she'd misheard or if she'd just had an auditory hallucination. She didn't know which was worse.
ZeldaQueen: Why? Doesn't she just lurve having people around all of the time?
"Tell me you're joking," she responded with absolute incredulity. "I don't need a babysitter. I'm nearly fifteen."
ZeldaQueen: Wait, didn't Holly angst at the beginning of this fic about how she was constantly alone? MAKE UP YOUR MIND, BINT!
Oh, and I feel I ought to add that Tom Riddle never needed anyone to assist him or look after him or show him around Diagon Alley. He liked to operate alone, with a handful of "friends" to do his bidding. Yeah
But both of them were solid and stolid in the face of her shock. There was a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach as it ended up dropping below her knees and into her ankles. They couldn't possibly be serious.
ZeldaQueen: Well, one of them was. The other was Lupin *rim shot*
Right?
Sirius quashed the last vestiges of frail hope like a bug with his next words.
"I know that, pup. But we'd feel better if you weren't alone for so long."
ZeldaQueen: I repeat, why would she want to be alone?
And yes, I know grief has people react in different ways, but she's been nothing but clingy this entire fic. All of a sudden, she doesn't want someone around?
Holly shook her head in utter disbelief mixed with dismay. For Siobhan's sake, she wasn't a toddler.
ZeldaQueen: Could have fooled me
She wouldn't set the house on fire or throw a wild party. Even the Dursleys had trusted her enough to leave her alone past the age of seven. Or maybe they'd just stopped caring completely by then. Not that it mattered either way.
ZeldaQueen: ANGST!
And isn't that kind of contradictory? Oh, the Dursleys trusted me enough to leave me alone. CLEARLY THEY DIDN'T LOVE ME AT ALL! Sirius cares enough about me to make sure that I have someone to look after me while he's away. DOESN'T HE TRUST ME AT ALL?
"I'm more than responsible enough to take care of myself, you know. I have before," she pointed out, and if there was indignation present, they didn't react. "I've been taking care of myself for ages. Long before either of you came along again. Besides, Tom can stay here with me. Or even Blaise."
ZeldaQueen: Yes, just look at how well she took care of herself in the graveyard. Or when she went after Quirrell. Or when she was fighting the Basalisk. Or during her "clever" plans to capture Pettigrew. How on Earth could anyone possibly doubt her common sense?
Both of them dodged the stampeding elephant in that statement to attack the one hole in her logic.
ZeldaQueen: WHAT "one hole in her logic"? The hole that she's an idiot without someone leading her by the hand? The hole that she's clearly unbalanced and ill right now? The hole that just because she could take care of herself at age seven doesn't mean that she should have been, and that just because the Dursleys had neglected her doesn't mean that Sirius and Lupin are given a free pass to do so?
Huh, her logic's more holey than the Hand Grenade of Antioch
"Yes, but you seem to be forgetting Tom's unique situation," Remus contradicted. "He needs to stay hidden, and what if something happens or if you need help? And while we do trust you and Blaise, the two of you are…" He hesitated as he searched for the right word. "You're…"
ZeldaQueen: You know, I would say that the point about Riddle and Blaise being unsuitable as responsible temporary guardians is a pretty good counterargument
"You're working out what the two of you are," Sirius inserted; his eyes went to Remus again as they exchanged yet another glance, and really, it was getting a tad annoying when they did that.
ZeldaQueen: As opposed to the Sue, who is damned annoying all of the time
"You're not exactly just friends now."
"We've never been just friends, and we've been alone plenty of times without adult supervision," Holly defended, somehow managing to keep a level tone. But there was still a sharp edge to it. A bite that both men valiantly ignored.
ZeldaQueen: Props to them. I would have smacked Holly for talking back so much
Sirius simply lifted a brow. "But now, he's also sort of your boyfriend. And we're not leaving the pair of you alone. Overnight. Not in this house."
ZeldaQueen: ...Excuse me?
Oh fuck, we're not going to go to teen soap opera now, are we?
Holly honestly couldn't believe this. She really and truly couldn't. They said that she had problems, but Sirius and Remus had taken a complete leave of their senses. They were both mad if they thought that had anything at all to do with her so-called and apparently newfound irresponsibility. She'd been more trusted by her primary schoolteacher when everyone on Privet Drive thought her a deranged lunatic and criminal besides. Now, her own guardians - her own family - didn't trust her with her bondmate and best friend.
ZeldaQueen: HE'S FIFTEEN! For fuck's sake, just because they can read each other's mind or whatever that bullcrap was doesn't mean he's an adult who can take care of her!
She might as well just give up now and send Voldemort a postcard to commemorate his victory.
ZeldaQueen: Because Sirius and Lupin aren't giving her her way, she's acting like Voldemort won. Voldemort, whose idea of victory is "genocide of Muggles and Muggleborns and Pureblood supremacy". How cute
"Why does that matter?" the girl couldn't help but question. "How is it even important?"
ZeldaQueen: *tiredly points to all arguments above*
It was Remus who fielded this one. Surprise, surprise. He was the more level-headed of the two. Sirius still twitched whenever his own mother was mentioned.
ZeldaQueen: I do hate Arianna-Sirius
"It matters because you're a young lady and he's a young man, and you clearly don't think of each other platonically." The werewolf's eyes were steady and startlingly steely. "We're not leaving just the two of you here without one of us or his parents."
ZeldaQueen: That's what they're worried about? Not that, you know, they're leaving their adopted daughter in the care of a guy who's just as young as she is?
"Even if Tom's here, too," Sirius put in before she could object. "It's not that we don't trust you. It's just that…" He ran a hand over his hair. "Well, we remember being fifteen-year-old boys, and I'm not ready to be a grand-godfather."
"Sirius!" Holly nearly spluttered.
ZeldaQueen: As much as it pains me to say, I’m finding myself agree with her. She just watched Voldemort rise from the dead and is supposed to be suffering from clear signs of post dramatic stress disorder, and Sirius is worrying about her having sex with Blaise? What about the fact that she’s unstable and a fifteen-year-old guy almost certainly isn’t able to handle an emergency?
He dismissed it with a wave. "Mum and Papa Potter wouldn't let Lily spend the night without someone besides just me in the house until after we graduated, and she and James were engaged shortly after that anyway." Sirius gazed at her until Holly was forced to look away. "That was their rule, and it worked out rather well. So it's our rule, too. I know you don't like it, and - Maker, I hate to say this - I'm your godfather, your guardian. I'm the adult here."
ZeldaQueen: A very good point, Sirius. Really, when he isn’t being reduced to Ariana levels of childishness, he’s remarkably good at calling out the Sue
"Your house, your rules then?" Holly shot back, and she couldn't keep the hurt out of her voice. Not completely.
ZeldaQueen: *sputters* Yes, because God forbid Sirius exerts his right as your godfather to insist that you have a responsible adult look after you while you’re coocoo for Coco Puffs! As a matter of fact, Holly, it is his house and it is his rules. You’re a child, you’re under his care, he is the one responsible for raising you. Really, I find it very telling that she’s all OH IT’S MY BELOVED GUARDIAN SIRIUS when he’s doing what she wants, but the instant he makes reasonable requests out of concern for her wellbeing, she turns all bitchy on him
There were too many echoes of her childhood resounding in her mind right now; this was a twinge too close to the Dursleys. Too close to their rules where she wasn't allowed input. Much less an objection or even an opinion.
ZeldaQueen: YOU BITCH!
I…I don’t believe this. I hate you! I hate any Mary Sue that sobs about how oppressed he or she is when their parents or guardians have been perfectly wonderful to them and make minimal demands, out of concern for their wellbeing. Guess what, you little asshat? Sirius is like the Dursleys? Oh wow, I missed how he locked you in the closet or beat you or forced you to do chores day in and out without a break or tried to rape you. I guess his constant bowing to your demands throughout the third story arc, along with being perfectly peachy with you carrying around LORD FUCKING VOLDEMORT in your pocket, just is so horrible! Go fuck yourself painfully!
I’m sorry. That hit a nerve. Continue
But Sirius derailed that line of thought so quickly that her head nearly spun.
"What? Of course not." His hand snapped out to capture hers and rub a thumb over her wrist before she could even think to pull back. "This is our house - the three of us and even Tom, I suppose. Ours," he emphasised. "Not just mine. And you do get your say. But I have veto power here. I have final say."
ZeldaQueen: And the Suethor promptly dissolves what little of Sirius’s spine there was.
Yes Sirius, just let the little shit and the sociopath walk over you. I must ask, what exactly do they do to contribute to the household? And don’t tell me I’m being too picky. We hear nothing about how they help out, not even doing the dishes, yet apparently the Sue is perfectly fine with bitching when things don’t go her way
She felt more than saw Remus shift his chair closer to her. "It won't be all the time. Or even every day," he said then, even as Sirius squeezed her hand. "You need to be around people. You need to get out of the house some. You can't spend the entire summer moping upstairs in your room."
ZeldaQueen: Yes Holly, get out. Specifically, get out of this fic
"I don't mope," she insisted automatically and felt her mouth pull. "I don't."
"I am not moping around."
They gave her a look. And then had another quiet argument with their eyes before turning back to her.
"It's either this…" Sirius started slowly before determinedly ploughing along, "or you go talk to someone. Someone at Saint Mungo's."
He ignored me. "Maybe, well, maybe if you talked to someone about it. A professional."
"What?" It nearly came out as a shriek. "You… You can't do that!"
"You want me to see a shrink?" My voice was a shade sharper as I realized what he was getting at.
ZeldaQueen: I have to ask, why is the thought of therapy so terrible? She can’t even argue that this has anything to do with her Mind Magic, because this has nothing to do with that!
"I can, and I will."
"Maybe it would help."
"And maybe it wouldn't help one little bit."
There was finality in Sirius' tone. This was the voice she'd come to recognise from Professor Snape with an unruly student or the Zabini parents when they wouldn't be dissuaded from giving a punishment or even Molly Weasley at her sternest.
ZeldaQueen: Fuck you and your swipes at the Weasleys, Suethor
Some small part of her realised that this was the sound of a parent taking a stand.
ZeldaQueen: Yes, yes it is. Mighty foreign concept, isn’t it, Sue?
Holly felt herself deflate in the face of it. In watching Sirius lean forward and seeing him not just as a goofball godfather who told jokes, played pranks, and smothered her with affection and doggy kisses.
ZeldaQueen: No, that’s the version of Sirius from the Ariana Black series.
Wait, doggy kisses? Am I the only one who thinks that sounds kind of…dirty?
This was the Sirius that Lily and James Potter had wanted to take care of her. The adult and fully grown man who'd fought in a war after telling his own parents to go to hell because of their bigotry and then walking out. The one who was her guardian and making decisions for her.
ZeldaQueen: Right. Now respect him, dammit.
Ten bucks says she never apologizes for this behavior, incidentally
This was that man. And a glance too her other side showed that Remus wasn't all that different.
ZeldaQueen: (Sue) “Wah-wah-what? Another person who holds me to rules and responsibilities? Well that’s unheard of!
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
ZeldaQueen: Because of the porcupines I slipped on it
"Holly, I know it's hard," her godfather murmured in that same tone but somehow softer. "That it's horrible and terrible and awful watching someone die, but you're not getting better. It's been nearly a month, and you barely ever leave your room except for meals unless Blaise is over. Luna was here three times last week, and she had to go upstairs to get you every time. You haven't even been to Blaise's house once this summer."
"Wrong word," he grudgingly conceded. "Moping would be better - that would be doing something. You're just… lifeless, Bella. I think that's the word I want."
ZeldaQueen: Ohh, my head… *rubs temples*
"Tom barely ever leaves the library. You said so yourself," Holly defended. But it was weak, so weak, and she felt Sirius' grasp tighten. "He's even in there right now."
ZeldaQueen: Look, just shut up and admit you were wrong, you little bint. God damn, you are pathetic!
"Tom is a spirit trapped in a diary. He doesn't have to eat and only does that weird hibernation-thing every now and then. He also didn't watch one of his nightmares come to life or a have a friend be killed right in front of him."
ZeldaQueen: No, he just tortured children in his orphanage. Big difference
That wasn't a fair tactic. Like taking a gun to a knife fight or using an atom bomb to kill a fly. She knew, however, that with it she'd already lost both the battle and the war. There was nothing she could say or do to refute that point. Voldemort was definitely back. Cedric was certainly dead. And Holly… she'd seen it all.
ZeldaQueen: Yes, how unfair! It’s like bringing logic to an argument…wait
If she didn't let them have their way now, if she kept fighting, Holly would only make it that much worse. Make them that much more stubborn about the whole thing.
ZeldaQueen: I don’t believe this. I don’t believe this. She is Bella Swan 2.0! What the fuck?!? One was bad enough!
Time for damage control. To bow out gracefully. Or something to that effect.
"Look," I said in a flat voice. "I'll go out tonight, if you want. I'll call Jess or Angela."
ZeldaQueen: Quite right. I’ll just help you out there *aims sniper rifle*
"Fine," she acknowledged with the barest of huffs. "I'll take the babysitter as long as I don't have to go to Saint Mungo's or have them come to me."
ZeldaQueen: Sirius instantly slapped her. “Don’t talk back to me or make a fuss, young missy,” he said. “I’m trying to look out for your best interests here. Unless you start making an effort to move on, shut up”
Her teeth worried at her lip for a few seconds, but Sirius let her pull away after one final squeeze and a half-smile.
ZeldaQueen: Dude, I’m not normally one to advocate stuff like this as punishment for children, but she needs a smack. Like, right now
"Good. I'm glad that you're being so reasonable," Remus commented after a heartbeat.
ZeldaQueen: Reasonable? Her? Ummm…
"I'm very reasonable," Holly inserted with a lifted chin. "And there isn't anything wrong with me. I'm perfectly fine. I'm dealing with it."
ZeldaQueen: Tell me Holly, how’s the weather in the state of Denial at this time of year?
Sirius just looked at her. Remus cleared his throat but didn't say anything. Holly felt her heart sink.
ZeldaQueen: It broke in half while Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet clung to the one end and Celine Dion sang. It was beautiful
There wasn't anything wrong with her. There wasn't.
But even she wasn't completely convinced.
ZeldaQueen: That’s because it’s a terrible arguement
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Onward to: Chapter 55: Child Of Destiny (Part 3)
Back to: Chapter 55: Child Of Destiny (Part 1)
Return to: Table of Contents
Anyway, Link’s taking a break because I want at this next bit myself. This is really annoying because, while Sirius does call Holly out on some of her shit, IT’S ALMOST EXACTLY A COPY OF THE POST-BREAKUP SCENE IN NEW MOON!
Oh, you don’t believe me? Fine! I’m going to include parallel New Moon quotes in read. And, in the belated spirit of the holidays, I’ll make my own commentary green
Projection Room Voices: Starting Media in 3...2...1...
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Chapter 55: Child of Destiny (Part 2)
She came down stairs the following morning with all the grace of a graduating seventh-year after a weeklong bender.
ZeldaQueen: Would that be Bender from The Breakfast Club or Bender from Futurama? Either way, they wouldn’t put up with your angsty butt
Which is to say that Holly staggered about, nearly took out the painting on the landing, all but fell down every step, and only kept her feet at the bottom by sheer miracle alone.
ZeldaQueen: Is this supposed to be dramatic? Because it reads like a Laurel and Hardy routine
She shuffled into the kitchen and over to the table but took three tries to successfully pull her chair back, another two attempts to sit in it without missing on the way down, but she somehow managed to get her elbow on the table top and rest her head on her fist while only knocking her knife to the floor. Her glass - thankfully empty - barely even tilted before righting itself when her knee hit the table leg, and she missed her plate entirely.
ZeldaQueen: Now see, this is why you shouldn't hit the sauce so hard when you're just fifteen and so scrawny
Sirius and Remus didn't even blink. Really, it was a twinge too commonplace these days to see her stumble about like a poorly-made Inferi.
ZeldaQueen: So they finally wised up to her "pity me" routine. Good for them
Her godfather just glanced up from the paper with a vaguely forced grin, and Remus set about filling her plate for her with an amused air.
ZeldaQueen: Amused? If my adopted daughter was acting like that routinely, I'd either be worried or annoyed as heck!
"Hey," Sirius greeted but got no reply back.
ZeldaQueen: (Holly's Nonexistent Brain) "We're sorry, the number that you've tried to dial is no longer in service. Please try again never"
The kitchen was quiet for a moment, and he watched her stare at the food now sitting in front of her as though puzzled by how it'd gotten there.
ZeldaQueen: Ha, how silly! We all know that the Breakfast Fairy brings us our food!
When she didn't respond, he reached for the nearest empty cup, filling it full of heavily caffeinated tea and sliding it over to her.
ZeldaQueen: You know, I'm not the biggest expert on tea or coffee, but I'd imagine that dosing a skinny fifteen-year-old with a heavy helping of caffeine when they're clearly out of their mind is not the best idea
He just sat back as she reached for it mindlessly and gave a little sigh as he saw her eyes focus and lose their glassiness. He and Remus exchanged a look as she slowly came alive in front of them, gaining enough brainpower to reach for her fork. Of
course, she missed her mouth the first try but got it on the second.
ZeldaQueen: Someone needs to make a carnival game of this, tossing forks into the Sue's mouth. One hundred point bonus if you stab her in the eye
"Tough night?" Sirius inquired as he poured her another cup of tea; the first had disappeared rather quickly.
ZeldaQueen: For her next magic trick, the Sue then pulled a deus ex machina out of her ass, and vanished several vital plot points and exposition
Holly nodded and gave a little grunt.
ZeldaQueen: So she's a caveman
Sirius lifted an eyebrow, but she didn't seem to notice. It took too much brainpower for the teen to simply lift her fork to her to mouth and chew afterwards. Rinse and repeat. Take another sip of tea. Balk at the fact that it'd gone cold; if only there were a way to heat it back up. Think about that as another forkful approached. Blankly stare at her now empty plate.
ZeldaQueen: I know that this is supposed to tug at our heartstrings and make us pity her, but all I can think is that this totally validates what I've been saying, about how Holly is an empty-headed bint who can't do jack without someone telling her to or doing it for her
"…And then, the teacup and the fork ran away together, leaving the knife very put out."
ZeldaQueen: And apparently Sirius is reciting nursery rhymes. How cute
Holly jerked her head up and blinked. "What?"
I looked up from my cereal, which I was pondering rather than eating, and stared at Charlie in shock. I hadn't been following the conversation - actually, I hadn't been aware that we were having a conversation - and I wasn't sure what he meant
Her godfather grinned at her from across the table. Remus just rolled his eyes.
ZeldaQueen: He rolled them across the table and into the oatmeal. It was rather disgusting
"Hey there, sunshine.
ZeldaQueen: - "The day welcomes you!"
Nice of you to join us down here on planet Earth." Sirius lifted a brow when she frowned.
ZeldaQueen: Does lifting a brow count as a workout routine, I wonder?
"I've been here the entire time."
ZeldaQueen: Yes, most unfortunately. If you wanted to leave, I can assure you that no one would complain
"You're body might've been, but your mind was a thousand miles away," Remus replied instead.
ZeldaQueen: What mind? This chick is the most brainless idiot I've ever encountered
Sirius shook his head. "Honestly, you're as bad as Tom. Even when he's here, he isn't. Always stuck in the library. Kid needs to get a life," he grumbled good-naturedly.
ZeldaQueen: Yes, it is rather alarming when sociopathic nutballs are anti-social
"Rather literally in his case I should think," Remus muttered from behind his teacup.
ZeldaQueen: YES, ISN'T IT CHARMING, HA HA?
Seriously, given how Riddle's canon personality is, I find the Suethor's constant attempts to joke about him to be in very poor taste
The other man gave a snort, but when Holly failed to respond, Sirius turned back to her.
He made a disgusted sound and promptly waved a hand in front of her face. She could only blink stupidly at him before regaining herself a second later.
ZeldaQueen: (Holly) "Durrr..."
"Sorry," she apologised
ZeldaQueen: OH MY FUCKING GOD, NOW THE SUETHOR'S CRIBBING FROM ERAGON!!! THE UNIVERSE MIGHT IMPLODE FROM THIS MUCH FAIL!
and glanced away sheepishly to stare at the kitchen counter. "I'm just a tad slow this morning."
ZeldaQueen: If by "a tad slow" you mean "utterly braindead" then yes you are, and not just limited to this morning
That brought both adults up short.
ZeldaQueen: I don't want to know what part of them is "short", especially with the slash vibes we got before
"This morning?" Remus repeated, nearly incredulous. "Holly, it's after one. The morning is over," the werewolf informed her with a mildly exasperated look. "Sirius and I've been up for ages. He's already on his lunch break from Saint Mungo's."
"What?" Holly's gaze flickered to the clock opposite the stove. "It can't possibly be…" She trailed off as her foggy brain realised that both hands pointing at the one meant that it was indeed the afternoon. "Oh…"
"Yes, oh," her godfather retorted and sipped his own tea.
The Slytherin belatedly grasped that he was in fact wearing his healer robes. Which he only did at the house while on breaks. Sirius always immediately changed when he was done for the day or right before he went in.
She really was running behind today, and Holly must've said as much since they glanced at her again. She saw them trade a look afterwards. Remus shook his head, but Sirius just nodded. The werewolf shook his head harder and then all but put his metaphorical tail between his legs when Sirius gave him a gimlet eye. A silent argument that took seconds with her godfather the clear victor.
Only, that never happened. Sirius didn't win arguments. Not like that. Not with Remus turning hesitantly back to her and plastering on a grin.
"Holly…" the werewolf began in a voice that had even her still addled brain screaming danger, "Sirius and I are… concerned. About you," he added unnecessarily. "We've noticed that you've been having a bit of a hard time lately."
An understatement there. She could tell from his tone, but Remus was good at downplaying the significance of things and candy-coating the truth. It came from so many years of covering for his best friends in school.
And at least Holly had enough brainpower going for her to comprehend that. Things were looking up, even as they were simultaneously looking down.
"What is this? An intervention?" she asked in half-jest and half-deflection, but she deflated at the expression shot her way. "It is. It really is." Holly was struck by the insight.
Charlie watched with exasperation as I slowly grasped the meaning of his words.
"No," the Animagus denied, "not an intervention. We're just worried about you, Hols."
Remus gave a nod and a gentle, encouraging smile. He really didn't look like a bad man when he did that, but she knew that he was getting ready to drop the proverbial gauntlet in front of her.
Sure enough, he did.
"Last summer, it was a sign of the apocalypse if we caught you in bed past seven," Remus told her. Like it was news or something. "Now, we're lucky if we see you before noon, and even then, you stagger around like Padfoot after Eren spiked his tea."
"Hey! That was only the one time!" Sirius immediately interjected,
ZeldaQueen: Hur hur, drugging people is funny!
Actually...what? Why would Eren spike his tea? That kind of crosses from "cute prank" to "nasty thing to do", even if we were to believe that Eren, built up as this elegant lady, would engage in childish pranks. So did she think Sirius was mistreating Holly? Did she just do it out of spite, because he took Holly from her?
Oh, and I feel I might add that if she did drug Sirius for such petty reasons, that doesn't paint a very nice picture of her. Mrs. Weasley never drugged anyone
but then, his face turned serious again. "We're worried. You haven't been… well, you haven't really been you recently."
ZeldaQueen: (Sirius) "I'm starting to think that you're a Mary Sue"
His eyes were oddly shadowed as he gazed at her, so sharp that she felt her hands become fists beneath the table. There was no need for that kicked puppy look. She hadn't done anything wrong, and her mental fog was quickly being burned through by indignation and just a hint of anger. If there was one thing her mutable temper was good for, it was sharpening her thoughts.
"You make it sound like I'm on drugs or something. There's nothing wrong with me," she insisted a bit more loudly than intended. "So what if I'm having the occasional lie in. I'm just tired. I'm a teenager; it happens."
"What did I do?" I felt my face crumple. It was so unfair. My behavior had been above reproach for the past four months. After that first week, which neither of us ever mentioned, I hadn't missed a day of school or work. My grades were perfect. I never broke curfew - I never went anywhere from which to break curfew in the first place. I only very rarely served leftovers.
ZeldaQueen: Seriously, this is denial
"You're tired because you aren't sleeping," her godfather contradicted.
"And you don't sleep because you have nightmares," Remus went on, and she nearly gritted her teeth as he set down his cup and steepled his fingers on the table in front of him. It was one of his tells for when the conversation was going somewhere she probably wouldn't like.
ZeldaQueen: You mean like calling you out on your bullshit?
"Everybody has nightmares," the Slytherin dismissed. "And again… teenager. We sleep a lot. Have you ever tried to get Draco up without a good eight hours of sleep? Much less Milli? It just doesn't happen."
ZeldaQueen: Um, eight hours is the minimum amount of time a person needs to sleep to stay healthy. Maybe if you said they needed eleven hours of sleep or something. And was it ever shown anywhere else that these people are big sleepers?
Her godfather gave a dismissive noise. "Those two are just being lazy. They aren't on the edge of a breakdown."
"You didn't do anything. That's the problem. You never do anything."
"And I am?" Holly couldn't help but demand, actually feeling the table and dishes rattle before she snapped her shields all the way up. "I'm not falling apart!"
Sirius drooped like a scolded dog that'd been batted on the nose with the newspaper.
ZeldaQueen: Really? We’re expected to believe that Sirius Black - the guy who grew up with hateful relatives who disowned him, fought the Death Eaters, and spent a good chunk of his life in Azkaban, would start whimpering because a mopey teenager yelled at him?
But he visibly steeled himself an instant later.
"That was a poor choice of words," he admitted, "but my point is still valid. We're worried about you. Things have been hectic in our lives the last few months, and they're only going to get worse."
"With Voldemort back, you mean," Holly bit out as she crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot against the table leg. That only made it clatter as much as her telekinesis had.
"That, too," Sirius acknowledged. He leaned forward in his chair to rest his elbows by his plate. "We just want to make sure that you're okay. That you know you can talk to us and we'll listen."
He paused, searching for the words again. "When your mother left," he began, frowning, "and took you with her." He inhaled deeply. "Well, that was a really bad time for me."
[...]
"But I handled it," he pointed out. "Honey, you're not handling it. I waited, I hoped it would get better." He stared at me and I looked down quickly. "I think we both know it's not getting better."
ZeldaQueen: I know that's a bit of a stretch, but it's in the same vein. Just like Charlie, Sirius is trying to open up and support Holly and help her recover and the little bitch just keeps ignoring him
Her frown only deepened at that. "Well, I'm fine. I don't need to talk to you. End of discussion."
"No, it's not," Sirius refuted softly, "but we'll get back to that in a minute." He paused to take in a breath and ignored the look she shot him. "I know that we haven't had the best summer so far..."
Holly sniffed, but he kept going like he hadn't noticed.
"…And I know that things have been especially hard on you."
ZeldaQueen: I repeat, I feel no sympathy at all for this bitch. None. At all. It was her own fault that she was captured, her own fault she was so stupid, and now she has a million people who are providing emotional support and trying to be nice to her and instead of making some attempt to move on, Holly's just acting like a zombie and pushing everyone away.
And yes, I know that Harry was pissy and felt no one understood him either, except that (A) he makes some sort of decision to move on, wanting to fight Voldemort to avenge Cedric and keep more people from dying and (B) he was left out of the loop on the Order and all of that, which to him was frustrating because it got in the way of said avenging and protecting. Holly, as we will see, doesn't even care what the Order is up to. She sees it as an annoying daycare service. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's move on
Another sniff. Nearly followed by a motion for him to just get on with it. One that both men must've sensed since they looked at one another for a split second.
ZeldaQueen: And then they slapped her, because quite frankly she has long been in need of a good bit of discipline
"What Sirius is trying to say," Remus cut in just then, "is that he and I are going to be doing a few things for the Order over the next several weeks.
ZeldaQueen: Oh, I'm sorry, the Order? What's the Order? Is that like a take-out service?
And yes, I know what it is. But this is literally the very first time that the Order of the Phoenix has been brought up, with no mention of who is in it, what it's purpose is, or when it started up. Again, the Suethor would need her audience to already know the books, which means that her "twists" are pointless
Things Dumbledore needs us to do that nobody else can handle. We don't really have much choice, and we don't want to leave you here." There was a tick before he added, "By yourself."
ZeldaQueen: No, no, by all means, leave her alone! *strokes axe lovingly*
Holly couldn't decide if she'd misheard or if she'd just had an auditory hallucination. She didn't know which was worse.
ZeldaQueen: Why? Doesn't she just lurve having people around all of the time?
"Tell me you're joking," she responded with absolute incredulity. "I don't need a babysitter. I'm nearly fifteen."
ZeldaQueen: Wait, didn't Holly angst at the beginning of this fic about how she was constantly alone? MAKE UP YOUR MIND, BINT!
Oh, and I feel I ought to add that Tom Riddle never needed anyone to assist him or look after him or show him around Diagon Alley. He liked to operate alone, with a handful of "friends" to do his bidding. Yeah
But both of them were solid and stolid in the face of her shock. There was a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach as it ended up dropping below her knees and into her ankles. They couldn't possibly be serious.
ZeldaQueen: Well, one of them was. The other was Lupin *rim shot*
Right?
Sirius quashed the last vestiges of frail hope like a bug with his next words.
"I know that, pup. But we'd feel better if you weren't alone for so long."
ZeldaQueen: I repeat, why would she want to be alone?
And yes, I know grief has people react in different ways, but she's been nothing but clingy this entire fic. All of a sudden, she doesn't want someone around?
Holly shook her head in utter disbelief mixed with dismay. For Siobhan's sake, she wasn't a toddler.
ZeldaQueen: Could have fooled me
She wouldn't set the house on fire or throw a wild party. Even the Dursleys had trusted her enough to leave her alone past the age of seven. Or maybe they'd just stopped caring completely by then. Not that it mattered either way.
ZeldaQueen: ANGST!
And isn't that kind of contradictory? Oh, the Dursleys trusted me enough to leave me alone. CLEARLY THEY DIDN'T LOVE ME AT ALL! Sirius cares enough about me to make sure that I have someone to look after me while he's away. DOESN'T HE TRUST ME AT ALL?
"I'm more than responsible enough to take care of myself, you know. I have before," she pointed out, and if there was indignation present, they didn't react. "I've been taking care of myself for ages. Long before either of you came along again. Besides, Tom can stay here with me. Or even Blaise."
ZeldaQueen: Yes, just look at how well she took care of herself in the graveyard. Or when she went after Quirrell. Or when she was fighting the Basalisk. Or during her "clever" plans to capture Pettigrew. How on Earth could anyone possibly doubt her common sense?
Both of them dodged the stampeding elephant in that statement to attack the one hole in her logic.
ZeldaQueen: WHAT "one hole in her logic"? The hole that she's an idiot without someone leading her by the hand? The hole that she's clearly unbalanced and ill right now? The hole that just because she could take care of herself at age seven doesn't mean that she should have been, and that just because the Dursleys had neglected her doesn't mean that Sirius and Lupin are given a free pass to do so?
Huh, her logic's more holey than the Hand Grenade of Antioch
"Yes, but you seem to be forgetting Tom's unique situation," Remus contradicted. "He needs to stay hidden, and what if something happens or if you need help? And while we do trust you and Blaise, the two of you are…" He hesitated as he searched for the right word. "You're…"
ZeldaQueen: You know, I would say that the point about Riddle and Blaise being unsuitable as responsible temporary guardians is a pretty good counterargument
"You're working out what the two of you are," Sirius inserted; his eyes went to Remus again as they exchanged yet another glance, and really, it was getting a tad annoying when they did that.
ZeldaQueen: As opposed to the Sue, who is damned annoying all of the time
"You're not exactly just friends now."
"We've never been just friends, and we've been alone plenty of times without adult supervision," Holly defended, somehow managing to keep a level tone. But there was still a sharp edge to it. A bite that both men valiantly ignored.
ZeldaQueen: Props to them. I would have smacked Holly for talking back so much
Sirius simply lifted a brow. "But now, he's also sort of your boyfriend. And we're not leaving the pair of you alone. Overnight. Not in this house."
ZeldaQueen: ...Excuse me?
Oh fuck, we're not going to go to teen soap opera now, are we?
Holly honestly couldn't believe this. She really and truly couldn't. They said that she had problems, but Sirius and Remus had taken a complete leave of their senses. They were both mad if they thought that had anything at all to do with her so-called and apparently newfound irresponsibility. She'd been more trusted by her primary schoolteacher when everyone on Privet Drive thought her a deranged lunatic and criminal besides. Now, her own guardians - her own family - didn't trust her with her bondmate and best friend.
ZeldaQueen: HE'S FIFTEEN! For fuck's sake, just because they can read each other's mind or whatever that bullcrap was doesn't mean he's an adult who can take care of her!
She might as well just give up now and send Voldemort a postcard to commemorate his victory.
ZeldaQueen: Because Sirius and Lupin aren't giving her her way, she's acting like Voldemort won. Voldemort, whose idea of victory is "genocide of Muggles and Muggleborns and Pureblood supremacy". How cute
"Why does that matter?" the girl couldn't help but question. "How is it even important?"
ZeldaQueen: *tiredly points to all arguments above*
It was Remus who fielded this one. Surprise, surprise. He was the more level-headed of the two. Sirius still twitched whenever his own mother was mentioned.
ZeldaQueen: I do hate Arianna-Sirius
"It matters because you're a young lady and he's a young man, and you clearly don't think of each other platonically." The werewolf's eyes were steady and startlingly steely. "We're not leaving just the two of you here without one of us or his parents."
ZeldaQueen: That's what they're worried about? Not that, you know, they're leaving their adopted daughter in the care of a guy who's just as young as she is?
"Even if Tom's here, too," Sirius put in before she could object. "It's not that we don't trust you. It's just that…" He ran a hand over his hair. "Well, we remember being fifteen-year-old boys, and I'm not ready to be a grand-godfather."
"Sirius!" Holly nearly spluttered.
ZeldaQueen: As much as it pains me to say, I’m finding myself agree with her. She just watched Voldemort rise from the dead and is supposed to be suffering from clear signs of post dramatic stress disorder, and Sirius is worrying about her having sex with Blaise? What about the fact that she’s unstable and a fifteen-year-old guy almost certainly isn’t able to handle an emergency?
He dismissed it with a wave. "Mum and Papa Potter wouldn't let Lily spend the night without someone besides just me in the house until after we graduated, and she and James were engaged shortly after that anyway." Sirius gazed at her until Holly was forced to look away. "That was their rule, and it worked out rather well. So it's our rule, too. I know you don't like it, and - Maker, I hate to say this - I'm your godfather, your guardian. I'm the adult here."
ZeldaQueen: A very good point, Sirius. Really, when he isn’t being reduced to Ariana levels of childishness, he’s remarkably good at calling out the Sue
"Your house, your rules then?" Holly shot back, and she couldn't keep the hurt out of her voice. Not completely.
ZeldaQueen: *sputters* Yes, because God forbid Sirius exerts his right as your godfather to insist that you have a responsible adult look after you while you’re coocoo for Coco Puffs! As a matter of fact, Holly, it is his house and it is his rules. You’re a child, you’re under his care, he is the one responsible for raising you. Really, I find it very telling that she’s all OH IT’S MY BELOVED GUARDIAN SIRIUS when he’s doing what she wants, but the instant he makes reasonable requests out of concern for her wellbeing, she turns all bitchy on him
There were too many echoes of her childhood resounding in her mind right now; this was a twinge too close to the Dursleys. Too close to their rules where she wasn't allowed input. Much less an objection or even an opinion.
ZeldaQueen: YOU BITCH!
I…I don’t believe this. I hate you! I hate any Mary Sue that sobs about how oppressed he or she is when their parents or guardians have been perfectly wonderful to them and make minimal demands, out of concern for their wellbeing. Guess what, you little asshat? Sirius is like the Dursleys? Oh wow, I missed how he locked you in the closet or beat you or forced you to do chores day in and out without a break or tried to rape you. I guess his constant bowing to your demands throughout the third story arc, along with being perfectly peachy with you carrying around LORD FUCKING VOLDEMORT in your pocket, just is so horrible! Go fuck yourself painfully!
I’m sorry. That hit a nerve. Continue
But Sirius derailed that line of thought so quickly that her head nearly spun.
"What? Of course not." His hand snapped out to capture hers and rub a thumb over her wrist before she could even think to pull back. "This is our house - the three of us and even Tom, I suppose. Ours," he emphasised. "Not just mine. And you do get your say. But I have veto power here. I have final say."
ZeldaQueen: And the Suethor promptly dissolves what little of Sirius’s spine there was.
Yes Sirius, just let the little shit and the sociopath walk over you. I must ask, what exactly do they do to contribute to the household? And don’t tell me I’m being too picky. We hear nothing about how they help out, not even doing the dishes, yet apparently the Sue is perfectly fine with bitching when things don’t go her way
She felt more than saw Remus shift his chair closer to her. "It won't be all the time. Or even every day," he said then, even as Sirius squeezed her hand. "You need to be around people. You need to get out of the house some. You can't spend the entire summer moping upstairs in your room."
ZeldaQueen: Yes Holly, get out. Specifically, get out of this fic
"I don't mope," she insisted automatically and felt her mouth pull. "I don't."
"I am not moping around."
They gave her a look. And then had another quiet argument with their eyes before turning back to her.
"It's either this…" Sirius started slowly before determinedly ploughing along, "or you go talk to someone. Someone at Saint Mungo's."
He ignored me. "Maybe, well, maybe if you talked to someone about it. A professional."
"What?" It nearly came out as a shriek. "You… You can't do that!"
"You want me to see a shrink?" My voice was a shade sharper as I realized what he was getting at.
ZeldaQueen: I have to ask, why is the thought of therapy so terrible? She can’t even argue that this has anything to do with her Mind Magic, because this has nothing to do with that!
"I can, and I will."
"Maybe it would help."
"And maybe it wouldn't help one little bit."
There was finality in Sirius' tone. This was the voice she'd come to recognise from Professor Snape with an unruly student or the Zabini parents when they wouldn't be dissuaded from giving a punishment or even Molly Weasley at her sternest.
ZeldaQueen: Fuck you and your swipes at the Weasleys, Suethor
Some small part of her realised that this was the sound of a parent taking a stand.
ZeldaQueen: Yes, yes it is. Mighty foreign concept, isn’t it, Sue?
Holly felt herself deflate in the face of it. In watching Sirius lean forward and seeing him not just as a goofball godfather who told jokes, played pranks, and smothered her with affection and doggy kisses.
ZeldaQueen: No, that’s the version of Sirius from the Ariana Black series.
Wait, doggy kisses? Am I the only one who thinks that sounds kind of…dirty?
This was the Sirius that Lily and James Potter had wanted to take care of her. The adult and fully grown man who'd fought in a war after telling his own parents to go to hell because of their bigotry and then walking out. The one who was her guardian and making decisions for her.
ZeldaQueen: Right. Now respect him, dammit.
Ten bucks says she never apologizes for this behavior, incidentally
This was that man. And a glance too her other side showed that Remus wasn't all that different.
ZeldaQueen: (Sue) “Wah-wah-what? Another person who holds me to rules and responsibilities? Well that’s unheard of!
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
ZeldaQueen: Because of the porcupines I slipped on it
"Holly, I know it's hard," her godfather murmured in that same tone but somehow softer. "That it's horrible and terrible and awful watching someone die, but you're not getting better. It's been nearly a month, and you barely ever leave your room except for meals unless Blaise is over. Luna was here three times last week, and she had to go upstairs to get you every time. You haven't even been to Blaise's house once this summer."
"Wrong word," he grudgingly conceded. "Moping would be better - that would be doing something. You're just… lifeless, Bella. I think that's the word I want."
ZeldaQueen: Ohh, my head… *rubs temples*
"Tom barely ever leaves the library. You said so yourself," Holly defended. But it was weak, so weak, and she felt Sirius' grasp tighten. "He's even in there right now."
ZeldaQueen: Look, just shut up and admit you were wrong, you little bint. God damn, you are pathetic!
"Tom is a spirit trapped in a diary. He doesn't have to eat and only does that weird hibernation-thing every now and then. He also didn't watch one of his nightmares come to life or a have a friend be killed right in front of him."
ZeldaQueen: No, he just tortured children in his orphanage. Big difference
That wasn't a fair tactic. Like taking a gun to a knife fight or using an atom bomb to kill a fly. She knew, however, that with it she'd already lost both the battle and the war. There was nothing she could say or do to refute that point. Voldemort was definitely back. Cedric was certainly dead. And Holly… she'd seen it all.
ZeldaQueen: Yes, how unfair! It’s like bringing logic to an argument…wait
If she didn't let them have their way now, if she kept fighting, Holly would only make it that much worse. Make them that much more stubborn about the whole thing.
ZeldaQueen: I don’t believe this. I don’t believe this. She is Bella Swan 2.0! What the fuck?!? One was bad enough!
Time for damage control. To bow out gracefully. Or something to that effect.
"Look," I said in a flat voice. "I'll go out tonight, if you want. I'll call Jess or Angela."
ZeldaQueen: Quite right. I’ll just help you out there *aims sniper rifle*
"Fine," she acknowledged with the barest of huffs. "I'll take the babysitter as long as I don't have to go to Saint Mungo's or have them come to me."
ZeldaQueen: Sirius instantly slapped her. “Don’t talk back to me or make a fuss, young missy,” he said. “I’m trying to look out for your best interests here. Unless you start making an effort to move on, shut up”
Her teeth worried at her lip for a few seconds, but Sirius let her pull away after one final squeeze and a half-smile.
ZeldaQueen: Dude, I’m not normally one to advocate stuff like this as punishment for children, but she needs a smack. Like, right now
"Good. I'm glad that you're being so reasonable," Remus commented after a heartbeat.
ZeldaQueen: Reasonable? Her? Ummm…
"I'm very reasonable," Holly inserted with a lifted chin. "And there isn't anything wrong with me. I'm perfectly fine. I'm dealing with it."
ZeldaQueen: Tell me Holly, how’s the weather in the state of Denial at this time of year?
Sirius just looked at her. Remus cleared his throat but didn't say anything. Holly felt her heart sink.
ZeldaQueen: It broke in half while Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet clung to the one end and Celine Dion sang. It was beautiful
There wasn't anything wrong with her. There wasn't.
But even she wasn't completely convinced.
ZeldaQueen: That’s because it’s a terrible arguement
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Onward to: Chapter 55: Child Of Destiny (Part 3)
Back to: Chapter 55: Child Of Destiny (Part 1)
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