Janna Black and The Cite of the Dead

Everyone here is family

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Looking away from her wolf shadow Janna turned back to the stump, the red bird nudged a hole in the stump so Janna came to see what was there, she knelt down to the floor then plucked out the thing the bird was trying to get to from the hole. The stone was shaped like a rhomboid, it was lighter than it looked, almost like it was floating in her hand. Janna looked up at the bird to see it clicking its beak, not at her but at something behind her, she looked over her shoulder to see a half moon of people standing in the clearing.

   "Good Evening, Julianna Black" Said an old man, he had a long white beard that went over his chest, he was wearing elaborate Wizarding attire, around him were five other people "I am Albus Dumbledore," Janna stared at the man, feeling her stomach jump with disbelief "I see Fawkes found you"

Janna looked at the bird "what is he?" Janna held her arm that had been healed by Fawkes "he healed most of my wounds, he's quite useful"

   "Fawkes is a Phoenix. And indeed, I notice he attempted to heal your wounds" Dumbledore explained to Janna, she looked at her wolf's coat, seeing the scratches had healed better than she thought "Let us get started, you have already met me and Sirius"

   "Sirius? I don't think I've met him yet" Janna said, thinking if she had met Sirius, she saw a man step towards her, shaggy black hair at his elbows, with his face barely containing his excitement.

   "I'm Sirius" The man said, smiling, she recognised this doggy smile "You met me when I was Snuffles"

Janna recalled the conversation with Hagrid about Sirius "Why did you disappear!?" Janna stomped up to him "I bloody looked for you everywhere, nearly got my friends killed by mermaids—" Janna stopped noticing his smirk "what's so funny?"

   "You're so much like your father. You know," Sirius slid his hands into his pockets "you even argue like him" Sirius leaned to see the werewolf behind Janna "although I see you have my attitude on the family... and the same coat colour"

  Janna glanced at the black werewolf, still mirroring her "I'm not mangy"

One of the men snorted, everyone looked at him "Padfoot's not mangy, he's rabid!"

   "Says babyface" Sirius teased, he was correct, this man did look like a bit younger than Sirius, he looked a lot like Professor Potter, down to the glasses and messy jet black hair but no green eyes.

   "Yeah, well, with that old face you should call him a baby" The ginger woman commented, Janna saw the other woman approaching her, she had mousey brown hair framing her heart shaped face, she was shorter than everyone but she was a bit taller than Janna.

   "Wotcha Black, I'm Tonks" Tonks tried to put her hand out and shake Janna's but their hands went straight through each other "Well... y'know" Tonks went behind Janna then put a hand on the black werewolf's head "there we are" Tonks laughed, kneeling down to the wolf, scratching it behind the ears "Your fur is so soft"

   "Thanks" Janna smiled as she felt the sensation on her head of someone grooming her thick fur, it felt odd to be handled so gently, the last man was taller, he had scars across his face, his hair was also mousey brown.

   "Y'know Remus' fur wasn't as soft as yours," Tonks said from behind Janna, continuing to stroke her back "maybe if he didn't hide in the shed"

The taller man sighed as he sank his hands into his pants pockets "Dora, it was for your own good, I was much bigger than this" The man stood in front of Janna, he took his hands from his pockets "I am Remus Lupin" he said, wary of Janna "this is Dora—Tonks, my wife"

   "You're-you're like me..." Janna stuttered, looking at his cheek to a scar across his nose, Remus looked uncomfortable "sorry... I haven't met any werewolf other than Greyback"

   "I see," Remus went to Janna's wolf shadow to see the scars on her skin "awful" he muttered "are you sure you should be out here?" Remus turned to Dumbledore "we should try this next month, Janna will bleed to death out here"

   "It's fine" Janna shrugged, looking back at the wolf behind her "I've been through worse, Fawkes helped me get away from Greyback, so it's not as bad it could have been, actually"

Remus looked away, almost unable to look at the gashes, he mumbled weakly "Oh God" Tonks came to his side, hugging his hip, his arms lifted gently as he hugged her shoulders tightly "excuse me, old demons... I'm not sure you understand"

Janna smiled, I'm not the only one "I understand—don't worry—I know what you're feeling there" she looked at James and Lily, recognising them "So you two are Harry's parents..?" Janna asked, then she turned to Tonks and Remus "Then you are Teddy's parents," Janna turned to Sirius "you're my uncle"

Everyone nodded to support Janna's questions, she felt lightheaded so she fell back onto the stump "a-are there o-others? M-more extended family?"

    "Everyone here is family" Sirius said proudly, wrapping on arm around James.

Janna shook her head, she stood up too quickly so she swung on her heel to turn her back from then, she held her stomach as blood rushed to her head "I never had family." she mumbled, turning around Janna saw all of them watching her "why didn't you help me?! Why not come through the portraits?! Why not make Harry come get me, or even Teddy?!" Janna yelped, feeling her heat rise in her throat "I didn't need to be taken care of by squibs who couldn't even protect me! Have you seen these scars! This ugly thing I become?! In this age it shouldn't even happen! I..." Janna clenched her fist around the stone, she bowed her head before running her fingers through her hair to get the corkscrews out of her eyes.

   "I didn't know my brother had children..." Sirius said to Janna, kneeling to her to see her eyes "If I knew you were alone in this world I would have told Harry" Janna stared down at him "I swear I would have told Harry, seems you beat me to the chase, though"

Janna stared at him "You know about Mr. Winslow?"

   "Yeah"

   "He died because of me," Janna shivered, her side vibrated slightly "that didn't need to happen" Janna looked at Dumbledore "You do remember what you said to me about the resurrection stone?"

   "You still want to pursue the resurrection?" Dumbledore questioned, Janna nodded.

   "You said something about needing a dementor—" Janna breathed in deeply "whatever we need I have" she looked at the people in front of her "I can bring you back" there was a pause, Janna let the though sink in. "Yeah... I can..." she ran her hand through her hair again "Well, I need to do it for Teddy," Janna looked at Tonks and Remus "he needs this"

   "Well, Janna" Dumbledore looked around "you will need to remember this clearing; we will need your help searching for the Cite"