The Godmother

31. stunned

Elizabeth apparated back to the apartment in a blur. Monotonous colours filled in the gaps between her mind and reality. She stumbled through to the space between the windows in their loungeroom, where a bare bureau sat with parchment the colour of butter and a birds-worth of quills and jars of ink.

Elizabeth scrambled into the seat and pulled out one of the smooth, empty pieces of parchment and set to writing.

Dumbledore,

I was in Diagon Alley when I saw Lucius enter a building in Loose-around Alley suspiciously. I bought an extendable ear from the joke shop and listened to them. He met with Regulus Black, the confirmed criminal. Black convinced Lucius to induct his son, Draco Malfoy, into the Death Eater ranks when he turns 17. They also mentioned of a 'plan'. I suspect an attack will be launched soon. They believe that they are flying under the covers. As far as I know, Black is still in the building. Hurry.

Elizabeth Potter.

She sent the letter with a spell to find Dumbledore. She threw it out the window and watched it disappear into the sky. Elizabeth turned around and faced Sirius. Breathed.

He looked confused.

"What happened?", he asked with a frown.

Elizabeth recited the events again. Seeing Lucius. Buying the extendable ear. Aparating to the rooftop. Draco Malfoy was going to be a Death Eater.

She felt a pit grow in her stomach. The poor boy. He'd been cruel and the top of the social hierarchy in Hogwarts, that was no doubt. Draco Malfoy mimicked his fathers ability to savage his way through situations and always come out on top. He was born with a silver-spoon. A duty to his family to uphold the Malfoy and Black traditions to the best of his ability. But what didn't make sense was why Regulus wanted Draco to join? She recalled the way he convinced Lucius. The way the light deceitfulness rippled its way up Regulus' throat when he wanted something. He wanted something from Draco. But why would it involve the boy becoming a death eater? What use did Regulus have in that?

Then, there was the plan. Regulus and Lucius knew that something was going to happen. An attack? A plot? Elizabeth hoped that Dumbledore locked down the castle until they figured out what Voldemort was planning. She hoped that he was going to keep an eye on Harry- wished that she had of put it in the letter.

She sent another letter to Remus, telling him what she heard. She told him to pass it onto Atticus and the rest of the Order. She went to bed, restless.

Her mind refused to quiet. Lips moving in her mind in blurred hazes. Like the way grass flashed past on the side of the road when you were racing down a highway in a muggle car. Breath fogging up the window. Nothing set. Colours put together like pieces of thread held tightly together to create a hazy image.

The Eternal Sigh.

She'd finally fallen asleep. The smell of tabaco filled the room even though Sirius had his head sticking from the window. He was like a rose in a graveyard. The still-point of her turning world.

She'd only closed her eyes when a loud crash rattled through the apartment.

When Elizabeth jumped to her feet on the cold wooden floor, Sirius had already flown out the bedroom door. Elizabeth grabbed her wand in her fist and followed him. Her feet patted against the floor. Rush. Adrenaline. Fear. Melted together in a pot of visual blindness and audio-deafness.

When she reached the kitchen, she saw Severus standing tensely by the fireplace in front of their couch. Sirius had his wand aimed directly at Severus. Chest heaving. Severus' arm was out, his palm faced toward Sirius in a defensive-defenceless move, which was odd, for Severus.