Fixing Old Traditions | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

𝑬𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒚-𝑵𝒊𝒏𝒆

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summer 1976,
the potters
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Her paws were sore, running all through the night, arriving in a small village in the early hours of the morning. She caught a familiar scent and followed it to a house in the corner of the village, she leapt over the fence, stopping at the front door, she morphed back into herself, her hand soaked in blood, somewhere along her journey she had cut her paw, she knocked on the door.

"Might I help you my dear?" an older woman asked,

"I'm, I'm-" she couldn't get the words out,

"Would you like to come in?" she asked, visibly seeing the pain in her eyes, she nodded, she hid her hand behind her back,

"Is Sirius here?" she mumbled

"Yes, he is," she paused, "are you, Aimee?" she nodded, "I'll go get him,"

The woman left her in the kitchen, she glanced around, nothing like she expected, a cosy little place. She heard tumbling down the stairs, as though someone was running through the house, no doubt waking the others that may have still been sleeping.

"Aimee?" she couldn't contain her tears anymore, he rushed over to her, wrapping his arms around her. "What happened, are you okay?"

"It's Charlie, he's gone," she cried, she clinging his shirt crying into his shoulder.

"What do you mean he's gone, what happened?" he asked, she mumbled into his neck, he could barely hear her.

"Can I stay with you?" she mumbled, Sirius didn't know what to say, he had only been living with the Potter's for a week.

"Of course, you can stay here,"

"Thank you, Mia," he held her close to him, trying to comfort her the best he could. He couldn't imagine how it felt to lose a brother, he didn't want her to be alone, not now. Not ever.

Aimee hadn't slept in almost two days, while Mr and Mrs Potter only knew what Sirius had told them about her, they weren't sure how they could help. She laid in the garden of the Potter's home, feeling the sun heat up her skin, as she stared up into space.

Sirius watched from inside, when Euphemia and Fleamont weren't looking he morphed into a dog, creeping outside. The black dog, hurried towards her, licking her face, to make her laugh, though she seemed more annoyed than she was amused.

"Sirius, knock it off," she shoved the dog away from her.

"Come on Aimee, I'm just trying to cheer you up," he said, laying beside her, she snuggle closer to him

"I know, I'm still trying to process what happened,"

***

Meanwhile, at the Burke brother's home, the three brothers had searched everywhere for Aimee, they assumed she would go to Grimmauld place to be with Sirius. However, when the badger arrived there he realised that Sirius no longer lived there.

The two foxes split up one heading to their grandmother's while the other visited her friend's homes. Once the three brothers arrived back home, Theo slumped in a chair in the kitchen. Jacob and Daniel sat with him, while Laura took Ethan for a nap.

"I screwed up, it's been two days and I've already lost Aimee," Theo said, holding his face in his hands

"It's not your fault," Daniel said, "She's a smart girl, I'm sure she's fine,"

"You don't think she might have gone to Diagon Alley do you?" Jacob asked,

"Why would she go there?"

"I don't know meet some friends, one of us should go anyway just in case anyone has seen her," Jacob said, Theo told him to go ahead, he and Daniel will go and search for her again. Jacob left with Laura and Ethan, hoping they would take his mind off everything.

***

Aimee had finally fallen asleep curled up on Sirius' bed, he lightly lifted her head resting it on his lap. James quietly opened the door, he gestured for him to be quiet. James closed the door behind him, handing him a letter addressed to Aimee.

"How is she doing?" James whispered

"Not good, she hasn't eaten since she got here," Sirius replied, "she did stop crying them she saw the owl deliver the post this morning,"

"I hope she feels better, my mum made apple pie if she wants any later," he nodded, as James closed the door, she stirred, sitting up next to him.

"Hey, you feeling any better?" Sirius asked, even if sounded like a stupid question

"I'm still tired, I think, I should go home at some point my brothers are probably going crazy,"

"Are you sure? Mia said you could stay," Sirius told her.

"Yeah, I'm sure, I need clothes anyway," she said, forcing a smile on her face.

"Okay, do you want me to come with you?" he asked,

"Thank you, but I'll be fine, I need to clear my head," he nodded, placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"This came for you," he recognised the family crest as the Black family. She opened the letter, he read the letter with her.

Dear Aimee E. Burke,

How are you? I know we haven't spoken much, but I heard about your brother and I'm so sorry. I couldn't imagine what it would feel like to lose someone you were close to. I hope you're feeling alright. I also heard about Sirius and I hope with everything you're going through you're still able to see him.

You can send me a letter if you ever need anything, and I mean anything.

Love Narcissa Black.

"I didn't think you and Cissy were that close," he said

"Narcissa is a great friend to me," she spoke, "even if you don't get along with her, I do and when I graduate she is someone I would keep in touch with,"

"Sirius," Euphemia called, "tea is done," he walked downstairs, Aimee was about to excuse herself, "I made you something too,"

"Oh, you really didn't have to-

"It's no trouble at all," she said, pulling a chair out for her to sit down.

Aimee stayed for tea at the Potter's as Euphemia had made her a meal too, she would have felt rude to leave after what they had done for her. They had opened their home to her, without even knowing her, only knowing what Sirius had told them.

She smiled to herself, they were nice people, even James had been friendly with her. Sirius had a family here, people who cared about him, loved him as much as they did their own son, that's all she could have wanted for him. Though, she deeply worried about Regulus being all alone in Grimmauld Place.