minnow // sirius black

twenty-two

22 :   seer

I hadn't even thought before I was on my feet, running into the house. I barely heard James and Lily shout my name. Don't be her. Please be anyone else, not her.

Dad had soot on his face, and the small woman in his arms was bloodied, burnt and wore Muggle clothing. He helped her into the living room, where I moved the chair to catch her as she fell. Dad looked up at me, this look of gratefulness covering his face. I heard Mum come into the living room, gasping.

"Is that-"

"It's Marina," Dad said, and my jaw dropped. "She was attacked by Death Eaters."

"Marina? We haven't seen her in years," I said, beginning to feel an intense sense of dread. I tried to ignore the intense déjà vu. "Where was she?"

"She moved to France eight years ago to help her cousin take care of his orphaned nieces. She came back two months ago, and was volunteering at a Muggle orphanage - one where there were multiple Muggle-born witches and wizards," Dad explained as he tried to get Marina to sit back, but she kept trying to get back up. "I was driving past, and thought I should stop and say hello."

"I NEED TO SAVE THEM!" Marina yelled, pushing past Dad. She ran for the door, pushing Mum against the wall, and shoving past Sirius.

Without thinking, I shot a spell at the front door, preventing Marina from opening it. She hit the door, having expected it to open, before she began to pound on it.

"Dad!"

"They attacked the orphanage, Jemina, they heard of the two wizards, and attacked the orphanage," Dad explained as he rushed to Marina's side as she slid down the door, beginning to sob. "They set it on fire."

"Dad, no-"

"I barely got Marina out," He said as he pulled her to his chest. "I grabbed one of the boys, but he went back for his younger brother-"

"Oh my god."

I could feel my heart break, and I stumbled backwards. I felt Lily's hands holding me up, and I looked down at the floor. I felt an anger festering inside of me, slowly bubbling and brewing.

Regret, and guilt accompanied that anger, as well as an intense feeling of knowing exactly what to do.

"I don't think anyone else made it out."

As soon as Dad calmed Marina down enough, Mum took her to clean up as he asked if any of us wanted to go with him to check the orphanage.

I immediately volunteered, and was surprised to see that all four of us were raising our hands. We got into the car, me in the front seat next to Dad, and sat in silence as he drove us to the orphanage.

The fire was out by the time we got there, and the building was almost completely charred.

Dad warned me that there were twenty-seven children in the orphanage when he was there, six were out with a volunteer at the park.

Dad convinced one of the people there to let us through the tape, telling him that we were their best bet at finding, and reaching, survivors. The guy was skeptical, but when Dad showed him the end of his wand, the guy agreed.

"He's a wizard too, but he's one of the only ones in this town," Dad whispered as we walked through what was left of the front room. "Do any of you hear anything?"

"Dad," I grabbed his arm, dread building up in my stomach. My eyes were stinging, partially from the remains of smoke, and partially from tears. "Trust me, and follow me."