Rosabella Black |Daughter of Sirius Black| (Book 6)

Draco's Detour

Rosabella's Point of View:
Harry remained within the confines of the Burrow's garden over the next few weeks. Michael and I went back and forth everyday with Roseanna through the floo network. We'd arrive just after breakfast and go home for dinner. The Ministry were in chaos so Ministry workers were busier then ever and Fiona said Saint Mungo's is very much the same and that they're have been an increase of Werewolf attacks.
Lucas and Fiona were beyond grateful to Mrs Weasley for helping out with Roseanna, but it was obvious Mrs Weasley was thrilled at having a baby in the house again. I was a very hands on aunt and I did a lot Roseanna's feedings and nappy changes and putting her down for a nap. In fact I hated when I had to give her to someone else. Harry often watched me with her smiling and it was funny seeing Harry first struggle at how you hold a baby but he soon got the hang of it.
While Roseanna napped in the travel cot we've left here for her, I
spent most of the time playing boys vs girls Quidditch in the Weasleys' orchard (Hermione, Ginny and I against Ron, Harry and Michael. Hermione was dreadful and Ginny's good, so we were reasonably well matched.)
It would have been a happy, peaceful holiday had it not been for the stories of disappearances, odd accidents, even of deaths now appearing almost daily in the Prophet. Sometimes, Lucas, Jason, Jacob, Fiona, Bill and Mr. Weasley brought home news before it even reached the paper. To Mrs. Weasley's displeasure, Harry's sixteenth birthday celebrations were marred by grisly tidings brought to the party by Uncle Remus, who was looking gaunt and grim, his brown hair streaked liberally with gray, his clothes more ragged and patched than ever. He had been gone for two weeks straight and had barely written. We knew he was doing Order work but it was still worrying.
    "There have been another couple of dementor attacks. And they've found Igor Karkaroff's body in a shack up north. The Dark Mark had been set over it . . . well, frankly, I'm surprised he stayed alive for even a year after deserting the Death Eaters. Sirius's brother, Regulus, only managed a few days as far as I can remember." Remus announced, as Mrs. Weasley passed him a large slice of birthday cake.
Winter lay by my feet and I had Roseanna sat on my lap. She kept reaching over to grab Harry's spoon causing us both to laugh but we stopped after we heard about the Dementor attacks.
   "Yes, well, perhaps we should talk about something diff. . ." Mrs Weasley said, frowning.
   "Did you hear about Florean Fortescue, Remus? The man who ran--" Bill asked, who was being plied with wine by Fleur.
   "- the ice-cream place in Diagon Alley?" Harry interrupted.
   "He used to give us free ice creams. What's happened to him?" I said looking round at my brothers as we all recalled three years ago when we spent the summer in the Leaky Cauldron, the summer we had believed Dad to be a mass murder.
   "Dragged off, by the look of his place." Bill said, frowning.
   "Why?" Ron asked, while Mrs Weasley pointedly glared at Bill.
   "Who knows? He must've upset them somehow. He was a good man Florean." Bill said.
    "Talking of Diagon Alley, looks like Ollivander's gone too." Jacob said.
    "The wand - maker?" Ginny said, looking startled.
    "That's the one. Shop's empty. No sign of a struggle. No one knows whether he left voluntarily or was kidnapped." Jason said.
    "But wands - what'll people do for wands?" I said, horrified.
    "They'll make do with other makers. But Ollivander was the best, and if the other side have got him it's not so good for us." Remus said.
The day after this rather gloomy birthday tea, our letters and booklists arrived from Hogwarts. Harry's had been made Quidditch Captain.
   "That gives you equal status with prefects! You can use our special bathroom now and everything!" Hermione cried happily.
   "I knew it would be between you and Ro!" Ron said happily.
Harry looked at me and I beamed at him.
    "Your not -" Harry started to say but I interrupted.
    "Of course I'm not. I knew it'd be you, you've been in the team since first year! Plus it means I have more time for pranks." I said and kissed Harry.
  "Wow, I remember when Charlie wore one of these." Ron said, examining the badge with glee.
   "Harry, this is so cool, you're my Captain. . . if you let me back on the team, I suppose, ha ha. . ." Ron said.
    "Well, I don't suppose we can put off a trip to Diagon Alley much longer now you've got these." Mrs. Weasley sighed, looking down Ron's booklist.
    "We'll go on Saturday as long as your father doesn't have to go into work again. I'm not going there without him." Mrs Weasley said.
    "Mum, d'you honestly think You - Know - Who's going to be hiding behind a bookshelf in Flourish and Blotts?" Ron sniggered.
     "Fortescue and Ollivander went on holiday, did they? If you think security's a laughing matter you can stay behind and I'll get your things myself. . ." Mrs Weasley said, firing up at once.
    "No, I wanna come, I want to see Fred and George's shop!" Ron said hastily.
   "Then you just buck up your ideas, young man, before I decide you're too immature to come with us!" Mrs. Weasley said angrily, snatching up her clock, all nine hands of which were still pointing at mortal peril, and balancing it on top of a pile of just-laundered towels.
   "And that goes for returning to Hogwarts as well!" Mrs Weasley added.
   "Lucas and Fiona both have next Saturday off, they'll probably come with us." Michael said reassuringly to Mrs Weasley, trying to defuse the tension. Mrs Weasley nodded stiffly and Ron turned to stare incredulously at Harry and I as his mother hoisted the laundry basket and the teetering clock into her arms and stormed out of the room.
   "Blimey. . . you can't even make a joke round here anymore. . ." Ron said and I gave him a small smile as I placed a baby bottle in Roseanna's mouth and swayed slightly with her.
But Ron was careful not to be flippant about Voldemort over the next few days. Saturday dawned without any more outbursts from Mrs. Weasley, though she seemed very tense at breakfast. Bill, who would be staying at home with Fleur (much to Hermione and Ginny's pleasure), passed a full money bag across the table to Harry.
   "Where's mine?" Ron demanded at once, his eyes wide.
   "That's already Harry's, idiot. I got it out of your vault for you, Harry, because it's taking about five hours for the public to get to their gold at the moment, the goblins have tightened security so much. Two days ago Arkie Philpott had a Probity Probe stuck up his. . . Well, trust me, this way's easier. I also got some for Rosabella and Michael." Bill said and he passed both Michael and me money bags.
   "You can call me Ro, Bill. Rosabella's only when I'm in trouble. Thanks though." I said holding the money bag.
Bill smiled at me and he bounced his knew slightly as he had Roseanna balanced on it.
Because Lucas and Bill became so close when they kept going in Order missions together, Bill was made Roseanna's godfather.
  "Thanks, Bill." Harry and Michael said, pocketing his gold.
   "'E is always so thoughtful." Fleur purred adoringly, stroking Bill's nose. Ginny mimed vomiting into her cereal behind Fleur. Harry choked over his cornflakes, and Ron and I thumped him on the back. Lucas and Fiona were getting a baby bag packed just incase we at Diagon Alley for longer then expected.
It was an overcast, murky day. One of the special Ministry of Magic cars, in which I had ridden once before, was awaiting us in the front yard when we emerged from the house, pulling on our cloaks. Fiona had wrapped Roseanna up against the cold and Lucas was now holding her.
   "It's good Dad can get us these again." Ron said appreciatively, stretching luxuriously as the car moved smoothly away from the Burrow, Bill and Fleur waving from the kitchen window. Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Michael, Lucas, Fiona and I were all sitting in roomy comfort in the wide backseat. Lucas was holding Roseanna and making funny faces at her causing her to laugh and give him a big smile. Lucas had really taken to fatherhood well and he hated how much he was required to work.
   "Don't get used to it, it's only because of Harry." Mr. Weasley said over his shoulder.
He and Mrs. Weasley were in front with the Ministry driver.The front passenger seat had obligingly stretched into what resembled a two - seater sofa.
   "He's been given top - grade security status. And we'll be joining up with additional security at the Leaky Cauldron too." Lucas said as Roseanna reached out for me and I took her gladly.
Lucas passed her to me and I placed Roseanna on my lap and she nestled into my chest.
Harry said nothing. I could imagine he was not happy about the security. Harry had told me all about his trip with Dumbledore to meet an old teacher called Horace Slughorn and that Dumbledore was giving Harry private lessons.
   "Here you are, then. I'm to wait for you, any idea how long you'll be?" The driver asked, when we arrived at the Leaky Cauldron.
   "A couple of hours, I expect. Ah, good, he's here!" Mr Weasley said, peering out the window.
Harry and I imitated Mr. Weasley and peered through the window. There were no Aurors waiting outside the inn, but instead the gigantic, black-bearded form of Rubeus Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, wearing a long beaverskin coat, beaming at the sight of our faces and oblivious to the startled stares of passing Muggles.
    "Harry!" Hagrid boomed, sweeping Harry into a bone-crushing hug the moment Harry had stepped out of the car.
   "Buckbeak - Witherwings, I mean - yeh should see him, Harry, he's so happy ter be back in the open air- " Hagrid said eagerly.
In my Dad's will Buckbeak had been left with my brothers and Harry. We all agreed to let Hagrid keep him because we may have room for a hippogriff at Black Manor but we don't have time. Harry also told me about how Dumbledore had brought Kreacher with him to check if any enchantments had effected his inheritance but when it was proven Kreacher had to take Orders from Harry, it meant that Harry had part ownership of Grimmauld Place.
   "Glad he's pleased." Harry said, grinning as he massaged his ribs.
   "We didn't know 'security' meant you!" I said happily, holding Roseanna.
   "I know, jus' like old times, innit? See, the Ministry wanted ter send a bunch o' Aurors, but Dumbledore said I'd do. This mus' be yeh daughter, Lucas." Hagrid said proudly, throwing out his chest and tucking his thumbs into his pockets.
   "Yes, Hagrid this is Roseanna Maura Black." Lucas said, smiling fondly at Roseanna with his arm around Fiona's waist.
Hagrid smiled fondly at Roseanna and Roseanna smiled brightly at him.
   "She's so beau'iful. She looks like yeh Fiona but defini'ely has Lucas's eyes." Hagrid said and extended his large hand towards her.
Roseanna grabbed his hand in both of hers and placed her head on it and looked at us with a big smile. We all laughed in awe. Fiona then took Roseanna off me so I could get my Hogwarts stuff.
   "Lets get goin' then. After yeh, Molly, Arthur -" Hagrid said.
The Leaky Cauldron was, for the first time in my memory, completely empty. Only Tom the landlord, wizened and toothless, remained of the old crowd. He looked up hopefully as we entered, but before he could speak, Hagrid said importantly,
    "Jus' passin' through today, Tom, sure yeh understand, Hogwarts business, yeh know."
Tom nodded gloomily and returned to wiping glasses. Harry, Hermione, Hagrid, Lucas, Michael, Fiona, the Weasleys and I walked through the bar and out into the chilly little courtyard at the back where the dustbins stood. Winter walked next to me. Hagrid raised his pink umbrella and rapped a certain brick in the wall, which opened at once to form an archway onto a winding cobbled street. We stepped through the entrance and paused, looking around.
Diagon Alley had changed. The colorful, glittering window displays of spellbooks, potion ingredients, and cauldrons were lost to view, hidden behind the large Ministry of Magic posters that had been pasted over them. Most of these somber purple posters carried blown - up versions of the security advice on the Ministry pamphlets that had been sent out over the summer, but others bore moving black - and - white photographs of Death Eaters known to be on the loose. Bellatrix Lestrange was sneering from the front of the nearest apothecary. A few windows were boarded up, including those of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. On the other hand, a number of shabby-looking stalls had sprung up along the street. The nearest one, which had been erected outside Flourish and Blotts, under a striped, stained awning, had a cardboard sign pinned to its front: