Equanimity

0.9

Part One; Chapter Nine

—A Shocking Escape

Natalie took deep breaths as she tried to calm herself down. The patronus that had come through her window at the Leaky Cauldron had startled the woman so much that she had dropped her cup of tea. The news it brought only angered her. That was before the fear began to set in.

Escaped.

Escaped.

Escaped.

The word was on repeat in her mind as she sunk down against the wall next to her bed, curling into a tight ball. How was that even possible? No one had ever escaped Azkaban! It was hard for her to gain air and she was gasping for it not long after the realization had set in. She had heard the waver in Fudge's patronus and it was clear he was shaken like she was about this. First Greyback...now Sirius Black? Her life felt like it was falling apart.

When Remus came into the room half an hour later with a confused Carina, the Daily Prophet held tightly in his hands, Natalie knew that Remus was aware of the situation as well. She brought her daughter to her side and immediately hugged her tightly. "I need you to stay inside the castle this year," she mumbled into her daughter's hair, Remus moving to place his hand on Natalie's back. "Promise me. You can go to Hogsmeade but only if Remus or I are with you." She pulled away to hold her daughter at arms length, meeting the confused gaze of the twelve-year-old. "Promise me, Carina."

"I promise," the young girl said softly, not daring to argue at the look of fear in her mother's eye.

Natalie let out a short breath she hadn't realized she had been holding and placed a tender kiss to her daughter's head. She sat up and grabbed her cloak to head down to the pub part of the Leaky Cauldron that the innkeeper Tom owned. She immediately got a glass of fire whiskey as she perched herself up on one of the many barstools.

She quickly downed the rest of the drink as a ministry official began hanging up a wanted poster in one of the corners, ordering another when a small crowd began to gather around it. That's when the whispers started and she wanted nothing more than to get the words out of her head. Fire whiskey would be the closest thing to that she could come to.

Natalie was only brought out of her trance when a hand clapped her on the shoulder, causing her to jump. Her hazel orbs widened in fear before they fixed on the apologetic gaze of Cornelius Fudge. She let out a shaky breath and smiled at the man. "Minister, it's great to see you again," she said politely. The last time they had spoken was two years ago when she had requested to see Black.

"No need to be so formal, Natalie," the man said quickly and the woman frowned at the way he refused to meet her eyes. "We, er, we have a slight problem."

Natalie straightened in her seat, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "You mean besides the fact that somehow Black has escaped Azkaban?" she asked stiffly, taking a sip of her drink to try and calm herself.

"Harry has run away," the man stammered out, flinching at the look he received. "Not to worry though! Dumbledore has assured me he is coming here!"

The woman slumped in her seat, running a hand through her hair. "That's besides the point," she finally said after a few minutes of silence. "I thought we were supposed to keep watch over my nephew." Her voice was clipped as she spoke, hazel orbs flashing amber.

"And we are, I assure you!" Fudge promised. "See?" He pointed quickly behind her shoulder and she spun around, her eyes scanning over the lanky teen who was looking around nervously.

As soon as Harry's eyes landed on her, they widened comically before he sprinted to his aunt who held her arms open for him. She grunted slightly at the force Harry used in which to hug her but smiled. She nuzzled against his unruly hair, breathing in his scent with a relived sigh. She eventually pulled away though, holding the boy at arm's length. "Just what do you think you are doing?" she screeched, her volume rival to that of Molly Weasley's. "Do you have any idea how worried I've been?"